English

The international exhibition held in Venice every second year, known as the Venice Biennale is the most important foreign event of Hungarian architecture. The Art Nouveau style pavilon planned by Géza Maróti is one of the oldest buildings of Giardini, the area that hosts the event: last year was the pavilon's 100th anniversary. In the majority of this time the building gave place to exhibitions of fine and applied arts, since the Biennale itself only gained importance in the nineties. The forthcoming event will be the twelfth.

The displays of Hungarian architecture were so far accompanied by fierce debates at home and thick silence abroad. One of the more successful examples was the 1996 exhibition of Gábor Bachman, currently working in China. The event brought international popularity to the architect unrecognized in Hungary. Other such examples were the 2002 exhibition displaying the work of the three famous Hungarian masters (István Ferencz, Tamás Nagy and Gábor Turányi), and Re:orient, dealing with the situation of the Chinese minority in Hungary. The latter received positive criticism both in Hungary and abroad. Corpora-project, a Hungarian-Japanese exhibit of the previous Biennale in 2008 was based on virtual techniques and computer programming. It also referred to the question „whether current tendencies in Hungarian architecture allow us to claim international professional recognition.”

The previous quotation is part of a competition material submitted for the curatorship of this years' Hungarian pavilion – the competition of Andor Wesselényi-Garay and Marcel Ferencz, that has been selected by the international jury from the twelve Hungarian applications.

Wesselényi-Garay, also known as WGA is a well known architectural critic in Hungary; he has the reputation of being able to stir the still waters of the local profession. Therefore, the latest competition is awaited with even more curiosity, not only because its unusual subject. The concept emphasizes the role of the line as a universal architectural element, consequently the installation stresses the importance of line-based perception.

The idea is connected to the University of Debrecen, where the three participants of the project: WGA, Ferencz and György Détári work together. More precisely, to their roadtrips between Budapest and Debrecen, during which they „continuously disputed architectural matters,” WGA tells us. Pondering on the motto of architect training, a multiple-meaning expression „Borderline” came to their mind. Later, as suggested by Marcel Ferencz, it became the central element of the line-based material prepared for the competition. Many expected European Unioff to be the winning project, in which WGA also participated. Its idea was the confrontation of the Christian and Muslim world, made even more appropriate by the Minaret-referendum in Switzerland, that closed only a few days before the final decision of the jury.

How could Borderline win? „Because it is suitable for catching attention, and communicating ideas to the contemporary Biennale-visitor, who usually spends only two-three minutes in each pavilon” – explaines the jury. „Because it shows what it is like to be an architect today” - says the competitor, inspired by the Zagreb lecture of the previous chief curator, Aaron Betsky. The original concept had to be completely redesigned, after the architects perceived the rather complex space of the Venice pavilion. The result will be worth it however, the architects claim. The installation is made spectacular by the „line-columns and pencil-pillars” hanging from the ceiling. Architectural sketches and children's drawings will alternate on the main wall. The essence of drawing is self-expression, says WGA: schools destroy our ability to express ourselves through lines. Therefore, real drawing is the privilege of young children who draw to express themselves, and architects, who use it as a tool. The visitors of the pavilion cannot draw either. The community aspect of the project will be represented by the thousands of real pencils collected in Hungary.

„Damn, this is why it is worth being an architect” – says WGA, reflecting on the idea of cooperative work. „Success is important, but being able to work together is much more relevant.” There are loads of work to do. An exciting part of the exhibition will be the videos showing Hungarian and international architects while they are drawing. Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto recently visiting Hungary, has already been filmed. Many such films will be made until the opening in August, and of course drawings are also to be collected for the planned „altar screen”. The freedom of creativity is somewhat burdened by the 20 million Forint gross budget, provided by Art Hall and the Ministry of Education and Culture, responsible for Hungary's participation on the Biennale.