Budapest’s art scene has two crucial differences from that of other major European cities. Firstly, and this is perhaps more common, the building which houses the museum is always as beautiful, and probably as interesting, as the art itself. Secondly, and this is perhaps rarer, you actually get to see works by Hungarian artists. This is obviously possible elsewhere, but never in such concentrations or with such a strongly nationalistic flavour. The best example of this is obviously The National Gallery, which is housed in the already impressive Buda Castle. From ground floor to top, you can travel through the entirety of Hungary’s artistic history (as a general rule, stylistically just behind the rest of the world, but just as good when it catches up). Particularly worth looking out for is the Mihály Munkacáy Exhibition, a recent addition to the permanent collection which contains the largest body of works of Hungary’s favourite turn of the century realist.
If, however, you want to seek your fine art on the Pest side of the city, then where better than the Fine Arts Museum on Heroes’ Square, fittingly designed as a neo-classical temple to the art it contains. This museum is less systematically curated, but no less interesting, as you explore the many winding stairways and corridors. As well as Hungarian art, they often have very prolific international exhibitions (such as the Rembrandt exhibition currently showing). Be careful though, Heroes’ Square is the latest area to succumb to the renovation bug, and from mid-February the exhibits from this museum will be found elsewhere in the city. In three years time, the whole area will have been transformed into a culture and museum centre, even more beautiful (and helpfully curated) than before – but until then, you may find that you have to work a little harder to find your art.
Right down at the other end of the city, almost purposefully antithetical to this, lovers of contemporary art will find the Ludwig Museum, fittingly housed in the Palace of the Arts, a concert and festival venue which is just as beautiful as it is different from the rest of the city. Spread across large, white walled open plan galleries, the art itself is challenging, thought-provoking and sometimes just incomprehensible, but is particularly interesting when you consider the political implications of a city which had to switch from socialist realism to complete freedom of expression, virtually overnight.
Budapest also has an interesting photography scene; the Robert Capa Center is always worth a look, with the current exhibition on Hungarians in New York presenting a fascinating insight into the lives of real people with a proud dual identity. Sadly, just finished is an exhibition of Capa’s own photographs – one of the world’s most famous war photographers from the forties and fifties, Capa’s frank and moving pieces are always worth seeing, wherever you may find them. (The Hungarians being as proud as they are of their legacies, it hopefully won’t be long until another exhibition of his works surface in Budapest once more).
Just round the corner, on the street known as Broadway for its plethora of theatres and music-halls, you’ll find the Mai Manó House, which not only preserves the artist’s studio of this much loved Hungarian Imperial photographer, but is also currently showing an exhibition of his work from the golden age of the Imperial court. If the Capa Museum shows you Hungarians separated by space, then Mai Manó House shows you those out of reach in time, their interest being as much historical as it is photographic – where else would you get to see many uncomfortable Hungarian children being forced to pose in a variety of sailor suits, alongside families and weddings from many generations past? This fascinating insight into the Hungarian past is complemented by a display of works by up and coming Hungarian photographers, whose abstract works throw the older portraiture into sharp relief.