The exhibition madeinhungary, organized by textile designer Szilvia Szigeti and interior designer Tamás Radnóti, both former Solitude fellows, presents objects and collections created by independent Czech, Polish, Slovakian, and Hungarian furniture, textile, industrial, and interior designers. It will be on view for five weeks from April 9 until May 15 2016.
During the annual show madeinhungary, which has its roots in the exhibition entitled Contemporary Hungarian Furniture Collection, which was organized annually by design critic Rita Mária Halasi between 2000 and 2003 in Budapest, the Design Without Borders Award is awarded. The prize functions as a means of drawing attention to the potential innate in design and the importance of patronage, in particular with regards to the countries of the Visegrad Fund. The promotion of creativity is a high priority, especially in view of the economic and industrial circumstances of the region since, in the absence of an industrial background, designers in many cases have to develop their collections independently. That is, they often operate as one-person enterprises, performing all activities, from product development to execution and marketing, without any outside assistance.
Of the nearly one hundred designers featured in the exhibition, three were awarded the prize. In the selection process, a jury consisting of professional designers assist the work of the founders. The board recognizes objects and collections built on innovative, original ideas that are in sync with the region’s economic and industrial background, without any constraint with regards to genre.
In addition to the show, a comprehensive professional expo-day has been organized, on which a series of presentations by the artists and their collaborators will be held, along with lectures on various important international projects, such as the fellowship opportunities offered by Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart and the Lodz Design Festival, one of the most important series of programs in the field.
As part of the project initiated by textile designer Szilvia Szigeti (Eventuell Gallery), the creative work of almost 20 textile designers has been done in collaboration with textile manufacturers. The goal is to draw attention to a branch of design which previously played a leading role as well as the artists in this area and the creative potentials inherent in this art.
Organizers and participants envision this exhibition as one of the most prominent independent civil professional forums of the region and hope that it will create a basis for dialogue focusing on similar traditions and cultural roots in order to promote joint international projects and exhibitions.