On December 20, 2023, the exhibition entitled "Sensitive Gaze - Treasures from Budapest" opened at the Hangaram Art Museum, located in the heart of the South Korean capital, as a branch of the Victor Vasarely Museum in Óbuda, operating under the auspices of the Museum of Fine Arts. Through the collaboration with the Liszt Institute in Seoul, this exhibition can be visited until April 21, 2024, allowing the audience to delve into the oeuvre of the pioneer of optical art through nearly two hundred artistic creations. The exhibition pays homage to the forthcoming 35th anniversary of the establishment of Hungarian-Korean diplomatic relations in 2024.
While internationally recognized as a French artist, this exhibition emphasizes Vasarely's Hungarian roots and showcases his most significant works in the field of optical art. The exhibition resonates particularly well with the Korean audience's interest in digital art, thus reflecting the innovative and creative spirit of Hungarian artists. The Victor Vasarely Museum in Óbuda contributes nearly 140 artworks to the exhibition, while approximately 60 pieces from various collections further evoke the scientific and technological explosion that characterized the 1960s and '70s, a period that continues to shape our contemporary era.
The preparations for this exhibition commenced in September 2023 when Tamás Végvári, the director responsible for international relations at the Museum of Fine Arts and deputy CEO of Városliget Zrt., visited Seoul at the invitation of the Liszt Institute. During this visit, Végvári presented the development of Városliget (City Park) and participated in the inauguration of the exhibition showcasing Liget Budapest at the Seoul Architecture and Urbanism Biennale. Subsequently, he met with the leader of the organizing company of the Gaudium exhibition in South Korea, and together they agreed to co-organize the Victor Vasarely exhibition at the Hangaram Art Museum in the Seoul Art Center. This cultural institution, situated in the heart of the city and attracting three million visitors annually, is expected to welcome up to one hundred thousand visitors to the exhibition by April 2024.
To oversee the preparation and opening of the exhibition, a delegation of seven individuals was dispatched from Hungary. Among its members were László Baán, the director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Márton Orosz, the director of the Vasarely Museum in Óbuda, and Tamás Végvári. The visit provided an excellent opportunity to explore potential collaborations and joint projects.
After a hiatus of 34 years, the works of Victor Vasarely have once again become visible in South Korea.