On 19th February, the venue of our Between Spheres exhibition hosted the public launch of the ZOOM and JUMP art albums.
The evening was moderated by Kinga Hamvai, Head of MNB Arts and Culture, who engaged in a discussion with the two editors, Dr Gábor Rieder and Annamária Szabó, about the creation, structure, and role of the catalogues within the contemporary art scene. Many artists were present in the audience.
The ZOOM and JUMP albums take different approaches to presenting the works in the collection: while ZOOM focuses on highlighting details and analysing the artworks, JUMP explores the dynamic development of the collection.
The deluxe album ZOOM – 100 Works from the Collection offers insight into the essence of the collection. Members of the collection’s advisory board selected thirty-four artists across three categories – masters, mid-career artists, and emerging talents. The book’s editor, Dr Gábor Rieder, ultimately chose 100 artworks under the ‘concept of zoom’, referring to macro photographs that reveal and highlight the intricate details of the artworks, such as colour patterns, layers and textures.
The concept behind JUMP. Milestones of MNB Arts and Culture, a representative album, was to capture the development that has driven the institution since its founding. Instead of following a chronological order, the publication is structured around a complex organising principle based on interconnections, which is reflected both in its content and visual presentation. In terms of genre, JUMP is particularly unique, since it simultaneously serves as a prestigious album showcasing the art collection and its related activities, a visual and textual anthology, and a format that encapsulates the perspective represented by the central bank.
This versitality was brought together in an interview between Kinga Hamvai, Head of MNB Arts and Culture, and curator Annamária Szabó, the editor of the volume, shedding light on key focal points of the concept.
The two publications by MNB Arts and Culture not only serve to represent the collection but also enrich its possible interpretations.
