Reflection

It is no coincidence that artists like to come to Lake Balaton, to the embrace of the volcanic hills or the forests of the Bakony to find inspiration. The landscape and the built environment, the culture, traditions and rich heritage that can be found in the area not only strengthen our own local identity, but through the creative communities and through art, can also show the stories and values that have shaped the city and the region over the centuries and continue to do so today. 

Tradition, the historical memory of a place, is not necessarily an object of nostalgia for the past, but a living heritage, a vital force in shaping identity, and an integral part of our everyday lives and personalities. We look with a contemporary eye into the mirror, or rather the multitude of reflections, in which we see our region's role in the history of European art, public life and politics. We recall the sometimes forgotten histories and faces of families, characters and micro-communities who could still serve as an inspiration, and whose traces still have a signifying power. We have learnt to recognise our natural and cultural gifts through the historical mirrors and interpretations of the artists who have come here, and we hope that motifs and domains that we have not yet been aware of will take shape before us. By immersing ourselves in reflections, we try to take stock of who we are and what the components of our identity are, at times from an identity-affirming, at other times from a critical perspective.