In May, we reached the final stage of the DemArt selection process. Our three chosen artists presented their ideas to us and some of the local community at the Bethlen Square Theatre. It was wonderful to see the work and imagination behind the pieces. In all honesty, we knew it was not possible to select ‘the best’ from such a wide range of disciplines, so we agreed to come back to our main objective: how much does the piece connect to the local community of District 7?
The 12th of May was a busy day, and as the presentations of the 3 prototypes took place, we were busy formulating questions and taking notes on the artists’ visions. As I listened, I realized that our decision could not be completely objective. We, the commissioners, come from different backgrounds, interests, and social groups with different relationships to art and culture. We certainly do not represent the majority of our district. As for me, I have begun to realize how important it is for me that the work touches me. Even though our job is to try to represent a community and think about what is accessible, welcoming, and honest, we are ultimately part of that community and our tastes and emotions influence how we choose. Our criteria was not based on how the cultural and artistic canon defines a good piece of art. It was based on the hope of removing some of the distance between ‘high culture’ and the inhabitants. We also hoped to select a piece for public space. We now know that, no matter how hard we try, only a certain social group will enter the often intimidating atmosphere of the gallery space. But apart from making the work more accessible, how can we ensure that it is something that (at least some) of the locals can relate to? What is the relationship between the artwork and its audience? Is there communication? Is there representation? Is it difficult to understand or is it inviting? And most importantly, can this piece be realized anywhere in Budapest or is it embedded in the history and culture of District 7?
These were the questions I tried to answer for myself and prepare my arguments for the selection meeting with the team. Two weeks after the pitching day, we sat down to make our decision. To my surprise, we quickly agreed on the project Musical Walls by the contemporary music group, Metrum Ensemble.This interactive piece of music has many components and is very experimental in nature. It is a collection of the musical heritage of the neighbourhood, the sound ecology of the current experience of living here, and an interactive installation that engages and surprises passers-by. Community interaction, research, and mapping of the area’s musical and cultural past and present are essential to the creation of this work. I think the uniqueness of this project inspired all three of us and we all felt the honesty of the piece. Not only does the installation take into account the cultural history of the area, but the Metrum Ensemble also has its roots here. Their diversity and approach to sound and music are also rare and inspiring.
It was interesting how all three of us took on the responsibility of commissioning a piece that could reach a large number of residents. The 7 installations (in the form of beautifully crafted wooden music boxes) will wait for locals and visitors to pass by certain locations and start to play some of the collected sounds and create musical pieces by triggering a simple sensor with movement. Encountering the installation will be a fun surprise – whoever passes by, the interaction will be different each time. And unlike most cases, the piece will approach the audience.
We know that community-based projects and impact do not happen overnight, and one project is certainly not going to change anything in this neighbourhood. It is still part of a capital city where the mentality of the people is very different to a less dense, smaller town or village. But the idea here is to spark something, and hopefully, either through inspiration or critici
sm, we can inspire some locals and also the local government to think about designing and implementing a project like DemArt.
