A National Complex: Institutional Photography in Hungary Since 1980. (3rd April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Troiano, Catherine
• Is Part Of: Photography & culture. Volume 12:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 203
• Page End: 226
• Publication Date: 2019-04-03
• Subjects: Photography exhibitions -- Hungarian photography -- Hungarian politics -- cultural policy -- Hungary's post-communist history; Photography -- Periodicals; Photography, Artistic -- Periodicals; 770.9
• DOI: 10.1080/17514517.2019.1596600
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-4525

Abstract

Abstract: Photography in Hungary has demonstrated a complex trajectory since 1980, influenced by changing socio-political realities and fluctuating levels of political administration in the cultural sphere. This article addresses national photography as represented by Hungarian cultural institutions or organizations since 1980, investigating the varied approaches to photographic practices that manifest as a result of the changeable environment. This political context, considered alongside developments in the field of photography and growing curatorial practices, illuminates how the relationship between fragile political realities and national institutions of photography has molded the public face of the medium in Hungary for several decades. Photography-related activities demonstrate a range of motivations, and notions of "national" or "Hungarian" photography are usually tied to politics to some extent. This relationship does not always impact the content of photographic phenomena, but it does dictate circumstances that can affect how photographs enter public consciousness. Cultures of photography have demonstrably reflected the concurrent environment, especially since photography has become increasingly accepted as an artistic medium and legitimate scholarly topic. By considering photographs in their inherent contexts, it becomes clear that photography exists in a closely meshed relationship with its surroundings, providing scope for cross-disciplinary and broadly interpretative approaches to its study.