Bortnyik Sándor Múvészek Bevonulása Az Alapba 

Curator: Well, isn’t this a lively bunch? Sandor Bortnyik, the Hungarian artist, created this oil painting, Művészek bevonulása az Alapba – or "Artists' Entry Into The Foundation." It feels… like controlled chaos, doesn't it? Editor: Controlled chaos, I like that! There’s something about the muted tones, offset by the bright costumes of some characters, and the rather rigid lines used throughout, that speaks to the friction between avant-garde movements and institutional power. Curator: Exactly! Bortnyik's own journey was so fascinating; he started with a Bauhaus influence but gravitated towards social realism and constructivism after his emigration to Weimar Germany, didn't he? It’s almost like a parade, yet with that feeling of impending…something. Editor: Yes, something ominous perhaps! The standard held aloft that bears a minus symbol – a huge "2%" in fact – feels rather defiant, almost anti-establishment. Consider the time this piece may have been made: what do you think about its historical background and implications? Curator: Given Bortnyik’s later social-realist phase and the themes around the 1920s – I’m guessing it’s likely pointing towards art and politics after the First World War and maybe something about taxes, since 2 percent is… a small sum! Is this a painting, about how politics are "killing" arts?! Editor: Possibly, but the range of the crowd is quite wide! One is holding flowers, while another waves with an odd stare. Given what you said earlier, the figures are arranged somewhat formally beneath an institutional facade with the Hungarian word 'haja'. Curator: Haha! “Haja” which literally translates to “Wow” makes it look ironically mocking somehow. The architectural structure on the background, almost reminiscent of ancient temples makes me question the intention: is the artwork sarcastic towards the entry of artists? Is the institution worth the praise? It might be even more fascinating than what the piece holds! Editor: Well, either way it shows the tensions between artistic expressions of the self and how movements evolve when being absorbed into power structures. Curator: True, true. Perhaps the greatest magic in art, is what can never be truly, or solely deciphered, huh? Editor: Indeed. Makes you think of art’s ability to make waves both for and against prevailing ideals of all times.