The New York Times is talking Hungary…

Here are the two newest New York Times articles on the increasingly dire situation in Hungary:

Hungary’s Junk Democracy by Gyorgy Konrad  (a scathing op-ed about the over-reach of Hungary’s new Constitution, it’s impact on the Hungarian people, and the downgrading of Hungary’s debt by 3 leading credit rating institutions as “junk. A junk country, with a junk administration and a junk prime minister.”)

Hungary Misunderstood by Kim Lane Scheppele  (Thank you for bringing her to our attention, Paul Krugman!)

Ms. Scheppele is going to be in Budapest this week giving public lectures. If you are in Budapest and have the opportunity to see her speak, please do.

Her article begins…

“On Tuesday, January 17, the European Commission launched an urgent “infringement procedure” against Hungary for violating EU treaties with its new laws. On Wednesday, January 18, Viktor Orbán dramatically appeared before the European Parliament to defend his country’s new constitutional order.
Orbán’s defense could have been guessed in advance from what Fidesz government officials have been saying for weeks as they fanned out around the world to explain why they rewrote the Hungarian constitution. They claim that they have been misunderstood. And they repeatedly say that their many foreign critics do not understand Hungary.
In this post, I will take up the most frequent arguments that the government has made in its own defense. And, as I will show, its explanations for the new constitutional order are not credible.

The main government explanations are:
1. Fidesz has a popular mandate for change and democracy requires a government to give the public what it wants.

2. Fidesz has consulted with the public about the constitution and this is the constitution that the public approved.

3. Fidesz has consulted with European agencies and they have approved, too.

4. Fidesz is replacing a communist constitution, and finally closing the chapter on the communist period.

5. Fidesz is acting on the basis of Christian principles, like other states within Europe.

6. Everything in the new constitutional order can be found in other European countries.

I will take up each of these in turn.”

Do yourself a favor and read the full article.  Her talent for de-bunking is masterful.

 

 

Solidarity with Szabó’s Trafó

In light of the recent firing of György Szabó as the director of Trafó House of Contemporary Art, his supporters have begun a blog: Solidarity with Szabó’s Trafó.
Here, you can find statement’s of support from Szabó’s colleagues from all over the globe and articles in English on the changeover at Trafó.  The authors of the blog are encouraging people to send them letters of support for Szabó and his team at solidaritywithszabostrafo@gmail.com.

One of the most interesting articles posted on the blog is an interview with choreographer Yvette Bozsik, who has been chosen by the government to replace György Szabó, and her artistic collaborator, choreographer Csaba Horváth, entitled:
“We would make Trafó more open.”
In this interview, Bozsik stresses that it was the Hungarian dance community that urged her to apply to replace György Szabó at Trafó and to open up the institution to more Hungarian artists.  She goes on to say…

“…I don’t like this „taste-terror” which prevails at Trafó. I do not like that Hungarian companies are forced out of the institution. It has been 13 years that György Szabó’s taste determinates the communication toward other countries and the picture they create about us…György’s opinion has determinated the possibilities of the Hungarian companies about performing abroad. The above mentioned communication and adoption skills are the ones we would like to change. Consequently, if we win, we, referring to contemporary artists, would like to move into wider media and convey more projects abroad.”

Interesting.  She complains about Szabó’s “taste-terror” and how it has reigned at Trafó for the past 13 years.  The man is a presenter and a curator who runs a presenting organization.  His job is to have a specific aesthetic point of view and put that into practice in his programming.  That’s what a presenter does.  Now, Bozsik will be a presenter and it will be her “taste-terror” that rules Trafó’s programming.  But she has never run a presenting organization.

She goes on to describe what her “taste-terror” will look like:

“I have always integrated different art fields during my work because I do not care about dance by itself. We would not change the profile of the Trafó, however, we would like to open toward the direction of experimental children theatre, baby theatre and highlight the integration of disabled artists and problems of the society. We would like to support international coproduction, invite choreographers from abroad to work with Hungarian companies. We would like to make the theatre field wider as well, to bring in stand-ups, improvisation theatre and support everything that moves the Hungarian artists’ situation forward…And if we win, we would not like to let only one person’s view determinate the work in Trafó, he/she could have whatever kind of strong characteristic.  We would establish an art council in which several opinions could discuss with each other.”

Baby theater? Stand-ups? An art council?  All who love Trafó, say bye-bye.

Here’s what the current Hungarian populist movement most love most about Bozsik’s “taste-terror”:

“Trafó would set up and have a link to the Hungarian countryside as well. We would invite the award winning performances of Veszprém Dance Festival and we would keep an eye on the Hungarian workshops beyond the Hungarian borders, and not only theatre from the West would be introduced but from the East as well.”

There you have it.  She says all the right things to consider her a willing puppet.  She never once mentions bringing the most cutting-edge international work TO Trafó.  But she mentions Hungarian work…a lot.  A lot, a lot.

The end of an era…

In another shocking political maneuver, the Budapest city government has ousted  György Szabó as the director of Trafó House of Contemporary Arts and replaced him with choreographer Yvette Bozsik.

Here is why this decision flies in the face in intelligence and decency: György Szabó is a phenomenon.  He is beloved in the fields of contemporary performing and visual art and has grown Trafó to become one of the most internationally well-respected presenting houses in Europe.  György Szabó and Trafó are one in the same; it is impossible to imagine Trafó without Gyuri and vice versa.  He has mentored and nurtured countless artists, opened the doors to international collaborations between people and venues across borders, introduced Hungarian audiences to some of the most exciting, ground-breaking work from across the globe, and introduced international presenters and audiences to some of the most sophisticated, exciting Hungarian work.

György Szabó is a visionary with impeccable taste and a passion for increasing the profile of Hungarian performing and visual artists.

Is Yvette Bozsik a choreographer who is talented and makes fine work? Yes. Has she ever run a presenting organization with a multi-faceted artistic profile? No. Does she have ANY experience as a presenter? No. Does she know anything about contemporary music, visual arts, or theater? We’re not sure. Is she in the pocket of the current Hungarian government. She seems to be.  Will she end Trafó’s international profile? YES. All the better for this government.

We are, frankly, stunned by the transparency of this decision. The ruling Fidesz government gets bolder and bolder in their actions that scream–Silence the artists! Stop communicating with the mean horrible terrible EU and the US! Fire anyone who is too progressive or who wants to talk to and, god forbid, collaborate with the outside world! Hungary is only for the Hungarians! It’s pathetic…and frightening.

For more information on the details of this decision and to find out how to support György Szabó, please join the Solidarity for Szabó’s Trafó group on Facebook.