From the streets to the galleries, from the galleries to the streets: an overview of Hungarian urban art

Fortunately, fewer and fewer people identify urban art with graffiti on lonely walls. After all, street art is much more than that. It is a unique visual art form that develops mostly in urban spaces and is often in direct contact with the built environment. Urban art can include murals, i.e. large-scale wall paintings, images made using stencil techniques, pasted posters or even three-dimensional public installations.

This art form bridges the gap between traditional galleries and the public, democratizing art and allowing everyone to experience the works. Urban art can present narratives that are locally relevant but also globally understandable. A mural can commemorate local historical events or provide creative responses to current social challenges.

According to Valéria Fekete, head of the Visual Arts Centre of the Zsolnay Heritage Management Non-profit Ltd., towns that consciously support the work of artists can, in addition to supporting cultural values, also provide special experiences for travellers: a well-executed mural or public installation can become a trademark of a given location, and thus can become a touristically attractive emblem or attraction of a city.

Many artists around the world and Europe have made a wider reputation with their works of urban art, but in Hungary this form of self-expression only began to become visible in the 2000s, and even then primarily in Budapest. In recent years, however, public art has also begun to appear in rural towns as a result of the joint work of artists, local governments and cultural organizations. Where? We will show you!

In recent years, Kazincbarcika has transformed from a grey, industrial town into one of the most colourful settlements in the country, thanks to the Kolorcity project. The aim of the initiative was to fill the grey, industrial parts of the town with vibrant, artistic works that would bring new life to the streets. Within the framework of the Kolorcity concept, murals have already been painted on the facades of more than 30 buildings and numerous new sculptures and street art works have been completed. The paintings appearing on the huge wall surfaces of the buildings not only strengthen the identity of the locals, but also attract thousands of tourists who are curious about the town’s unique visual world. It is worth spending several days to visit in order to discover all the hidden works.

The town of Pécs has long been known for its art life, but recently the Zsolnay Cultural District has become a particularly important venue for urban art lovers. Within the framework of the Street Up Festival, those interested can encounter presentations, a series of street art exhibitions, symposiums and workshops. The international urban art exhibition tried to present the international appearances and different trends of urban art, all in a way that the Hungarian audience has never been able to encounter urban art within the walls of an exhibition space.

-says Valéria Fekete. The aim of the exhibition, by presenting the genres of street and urban art, was to select, with the participation of exhibition visitors and based on their votes, those artists who will be able to realize their ideas on a public wall at the next festival.

Veszprém has implemented a number of art projects in connection with its title of European Capital of Culture 2023, including impressive urban art works. The murals and public installations created as part of the event series have given the town a fresh, modern look and have created new tourist routes. These works are not only visually exciting, but often also carry thought-provoking messages. Admire the work on the fire-back of an eight-story block of flats in the Haszkovó housing estate, or the colourful mural on the wall of a four-story building in Stadion Street!