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- How can artists in Budapest now help society? How can artists, with their creative courage, point to a better future?

- To start with personal memory, I learned from my parents that love, knowledge, and enjoyment of works of art can help in difficult situations. It is a recognition that gives a sense of security even in the darkest period. This means that I fully agree with the German Minister. Indeed, consumption of art is not a physical necessity, but at the same time, the human soul needs spiritual nourishment even in such a problematic period, otherwise, it withers away. It is gratifying to see that there are countries - not so far away from us - where they understand this at the leadership level.

Even though Hungarian artists do not receive any help or support yet, the art scene is turbulent, and better and better initiatives are being taken. Just for the sake of example: there are online, free theatre performances, audiobooks, and guided tours available. There are works of fine art put up for auction (where revenue is used to support hospitals), or you might want to look for podcasts just launched. Many groups have formed in cyberspace, it is very good to see that this otherwise quite divisive scene comes together. And we support those working against the virus, each other, and also those who are open to artistic experiences. I guess and even see that there are many people on the recipient side welcoming this, and I trust that they will draw strength from these contents. In the words of art historian János Schneller: "Man defends himself with art."

- Do you get any extra inspiration from such a historic situation? Do you guys feel more motivated now? Does isolation change much in artistic work?

- Indeed, this is a situation so subversive around us that we have to react somehow. I remember the first week I froze, and then I started to work out the difficult thoughts and feelings.

For me, this has proven itself at other times; I do the creation with a therapeutic purpose and frequency, and it helps a lot.

Of course, an artist is often alone, locking herself in her apartment, her studio, her rehearsal room, creating. But for those with a family, this is not a viable option now. This is because caring for children comes first, which makes you busy almost all day. Now that space and time have narrowed, instead of the studio, I can only create at home on the dining table, near my family. So the works now shrink, and techniques get simplified. I started a series of quarantine, which consist of small (around 15x5cm) paper sections, recording my current, often not very positive thoughts. Every day I post a new piece on my Instagram and Facebook page. Although I started this series just to ease my soul, I get a lot of feedback that this helps others, to process, and to visualize their problems. And it's a fantastic feeling.

- How do you intend to (re)connect with your audience in these circumstances? What new tools and platforms you would think are going to help to achieve this?

- Because of the aforementioned series, I am much more actively involved in cyberspace than before. Like many others, I cling to the online community thread when I can no longer embrace my parents and friends. So at least I keep in touch with other art lovers through the platforms provided by the internet.

Interesting ideas come to mind at such times. I’ve already done guided tours, given an online interview in my studio. I also follow several gallery open calls where I can meet artists who are otherwise light years away from me (and not just in km). The parallel reality of the internet is very interesting: we can be close to someone who is far away, but at the same time, we cannot see a person close to us. By the way, I’m focusing on Instagram, Facebook, updating my website often.

- What you would think the single biggest change is going to be in the art world in Budapest once this crisis ends?

- I think, or rather hope, that the Hungarian art community has realized that it is not possible to stay afloat anymore with semi-functional websites in an international environment. Yes, you need to be present in the virtual space by offering fresh content on other platforms as well. I hope this good direction will not change at the end of this unusual situation.

However, I can't wait to go to exhibitions again. I’m sure I’ll appreciate every real minute spent with art better.

- Is there any “Lockdown” piece of art produced recently that you can share with the readers?

- I’ve mentioned before the series of quarantine I am working on during the curfew period. Every day I post a new piece of art, which I usually create the night before when my family is asleep already. Creating something every day helps a lot, and I also do sports, without which I would have lost the way.

There is another project in which I have been an active participant from the beginning. I have worked hard to make (fine) art one of our cornerstones. This is Béla Bartók Boulevard, behind which our civic association stands. Now I feel like the quarantine has brought out the best in the team. The members work together in a never-before-seen collaboration, to be at least virtually visible in the absence of physical presence. Among other things, we will be introducing introductory videos about each member and organizing a virtual festival in May. Therefore it is worth paying attention to our pages.

- Is there any way for art lovers to support your work, and how?

- Now it is very important that those to whom art gives energy support the artists somehow. There are many ways to do this; they can send a positive message, buy a piece of art, anything like that. I am happy for every encouraging word people have for me. It makes my day when someone writes to me, and people take this step now much sooner than usual. This is a very good direction! Although this is not why I have started it, I’m happy that my supporters are buying from my quarantine series. Anyone able can support artists this way too, helping them not to give up.

- How can artists in Budapest now help society? How can artists, with their creative courage, point to a better future?

- The first thing that comes to mind is that like all my peers, the world has closed itself to me from one moment to the next. There are no exhibitions, performances, concerts. We have to get up from this situation and look for new ways, and this position can be an incentive in itself. From another point of view, appearances in the online space – like exhibitions and concerts - can bring back some of the liveliness we have lost. This can move people out of everyday life, which makes it easier to endure the situation. But as soon as we get back to normal life, I think everyone will crave culture like a mouthful of bread. Our first thing will be to go to concerts, exhibitions, and social events. The energy that is stuck in the artists will break out, and everyone will understand how much art can give people. Until then, courage, the will to live, and persistence can encourage our fellow human beings that this is just a situation that will pass, and something else must come after it.

- Do you get any extra inspiration from such a historic situation? Do you guys feel more motivated now? Does isolation change much in artistic work?

- Looking at my situation, many of my sources of income - theaters, and clubs - have disappeared. Talking to my friends, however, this is different for everyone. Some have been upset recently, but most of us are positive. I feel a flare-up, togetherness. Now we encourage and help each other, a little window has opened overlooking a new street, and it fills the creative people with curiosity. I embarked on a series of paintings that contrast the recently bustling urban spaces with the current emptiness. I also got involved in making an installation inspired by the situation. I do all this at home or online though; I won’t go to the studio. At first, it was difficult to switch to this method, but now the calmness and retreat have borne fruit. I am living in my productive era, which will bring many positive changes in my life.

- How do you intend to (re)connect with your audience in these circumstances? What new tools and platforms you would think are going to help to achieve this?

- My online activity is more now. We recently made a performance in our living room on an online broadcast of a Czech gallery. We did this with Emese Kovács and Attila Szász, under the auspices of the Hoygadayax formation, which made its debut at the closing event of our exhibition with Balázs Csizik. And now we are just preparing for a similar one, Babicska will be the host, but the event will take place in the living room again. Other initiatives have also been launched, with one of my work posted on the 1111 virtual gallery. Now Budapest Art Week has also been postponed, so I presented my studio in the form of an interview. As for now, I can get my work to the audience through similar channels only. This is why we have recently come up with the idea of creating a special outdoor venue with Ziggurat Project, a contemporary dance-centric interdisciplinary company. We have already submitted several applications in Hungary as well as abroad for this. And once normal life returns, we will be able to start location-specific performances with renewed vigor.

- What you would think the single biggest change is going to be in the art world in Budapest once this crisis ends?

- I expect some kind of segregation. Some components become stronger, and others fade. The international art life will recover later, the smaller sectors will intensify, which may bring us, Eastern European artists more attention. Budapest can also be better included in the European art cycle. The big international fairs are much more affected by this situation and thus more attention can be paid to the artists of our country. New forms will emerge, attitudes will be more experimental, traditional forms that have worked so far will be reviewed and new ones will come up to the surface shortly. It will definitely be an exciting period for sure.

- Is there any “Lockdown” piece of art produced recently that you can share with the readers?

- The series of paintings mentioned at the beginning, which started when we visited Madrid with the Budapest Art Mentor at the ARCO Madrid fair, before the epidemic became serious. And a week later, school closures began in Hungary. Not long after, a friend of mine living in Madrid sent photos of the vacated city, and I took pictures of one of the buildings even during my stay. That’s how the idea came to paint in empty and in bustling versions. Since then, I’ve been asking for photos from my other friends as well. Vienna has now been completed, and the next one will be Warsaw. And another series is in the pipeline too: I have asked artists to collaborate by sending me photos of vacant urban places for rework. I add image errors and glitches reminiscent of corrupted JPG files. I am referring to the impact of man on nature. For example, the spread of the epidemic stems from globalization. Traffic between distant countries has stopped in a matter of moments, and factories stopped working too, no wonder it drastically reduced air pollution. We can also look at man as an error, and perhaps this situation awakens humanity because it cannot continue its way of life with impunity.

- Is there any way for art lovers to support your work, and how?

- The biggest support if the audience follows me on my social media platforms and gets the news of my work in as many places as possible. And when life comes back, we can meet at exhibitions and performances with the Ziggurat Project, to talk about art and other interesting topics. If anyone is interested in my work, they can email me and even look around the studio.