The Year of the Dragon | Contemporary arts and crafts exhibition and fair | Spring edition
To continue our tradition, for the spring contemporary art exhibition and fair this year we picked an unusual motive. This time the main motive is not a plant associated with Hopp Museum's garden, but the dragon, the fifth animal of the zodiac, which plays a significant role in Chinese mythology. This unusual choice links our programme with the Chinese Year of the Dragon.
For thousands of years, the dragon has always been at the top of the list of Chinese animals revered as gods, including mythical monsters. From the first Han emperor onwards, the dragon has always symbolised the emperor. In Chinese mythology, the appearance of the dragon was governed by strict rules, and traditionnally its image was made up of the features of various creatures: the horns of a deer, the head of a camel, the eyes of a demon, the neck of a snake, the inner parts of a turtle (another version says the stomach of a giant shell), the claws of an eagle, the feet of a tiger, the ears of a bull. Instead of ears, dragons use their horns for hearing. There are dragons in the sky, on the ground and under the ground, and they could be of different colours. The dragons in the sky grant the people and earth with rain, the ones under the ground guard the treasures of the earth's womb. The waters (seas, lakes and rivers) had their own dragon masters, the so-called Dragon Kings. The blue dragons were considered good-hearted, the white ones virtuous and the yellow ones merciful. Chinese dragons are rarely evil monsters, and in Chinese mythology dragons have always been seen as symbols of good, peace, prosperity and flourishment, contrary to the European idea of dragon.
The artists' works and programmes are linked to the figure of the dragon – through motives, themes, material or appearance.
All welcome to join the fair in the beautiful, spring-coloured museum garden.
EXHIBITING ARTISTS:
- Anikó Boros felt artist (Baribon – Felted nature)
- Eszter Borsódy, ceramic artist
- Kinga Földi textile artist
- Noémi Gera Jewellery
- Anikó Gyetvai textile artist (Mulberry Leaf)
- Enikő Horn fashion designer ENIHORN
- Ildikó Károlyi ceramic artist
- Fanni Király Jewellery
- Pinviczki Judit, leather artist
- Gabriella Schütz (Illatos ékszerek: Pomanders)
- Flóra Szarka silk and textile painting artist (Flora in silk)
- Gabo Szerencsés fashion designer
- Nóra Tápai
- Réka Tóth-Vásárhelyi kokeshi artist (Katagami Kokeshi)
- Zámori Eszter jewel designer artist
The following related programs accompany the art show and fair:
10.30 – 11.30: Lecture by Judit Bagi sinologist (Hopp Museum, Archive), titled Legend of the Dragon King
12.00 – 12.30: Introduction to Chinese calligraphy with Zhang Wei, calligraphy artist
13.00 – 14.00: Lecture by Balázs Káplár about dragon boat tradition in China
14.20 – 14.40: Dance of the drunken dragon
15.00 – 15.20: Performance by students of the Chinesisch-Deutsche Privatschule für Kultur und Bildungswesen (Budapest)
16.00 – 17.00: Guided tour in the exhibition Land of Buddhas | GANDHĀRA. Indo-Greek Sculptures of the Ferenc Hopp Museum
Programmes available throughout the event:
10.00 – 18.00: “Guardians of the moment” – Dragon (long) tea tasting at the stand of MOST and 1000TEA
10.00 – 18.00: Dragon school – Creative workshop with museum educator Katalin Szeivolt
Special ticket price applies for this event: 2500 HUF
Free for children aged between 0 and 6 years, no other discounts apply.
Ticket is also valid for the exhibition on the day of the programme.
Tickets are available on the day of the programme at Hopp Museum cassa.