Imre Makovecz Oeuvre Exhibition, Vigadó, 03. 15. – 09. 21. 2014

Text: Katalin Dávid
Photos: Erzsébet Maczkó

March 15th saw the opening of Imre Makovecz’s oeuvre exhibition in the newly facelifted Vigadó building, which is now the new of the Hungarian Art Academy, with the ceremonious inauguration speech of Katalin Dávid art historian.
„A short excerpt from the letter which Imre received from the Prince of Wales in 1992 after he had visited the pavilion built by Makovecz in Sevilla. I am not about to cite when he explains how much he respects the talents of the artist and how much he appreciates his works. These are important words which please all of us who respect and love Makovecz. The excerpt, which I find most important to share with you is as follows: „I feel – the Prince writes –, that this pavilion is the bastion of common sense amongst the whirlpools of a materialistic and a mediocre world. It is the symbol of faith, harmony and first of all genuine humanity. Signed as: Charles.”
Both similes are important as they are meant to make us understand something of this great genius. The bastion is a means of guidance – shelter and help for those endangered, and if we can name something as the symbol of faith, harmony and humanity, then its is also an exemplary model for us to be followed as the most sacred ambitions found in each human being. These are words that cannot be exceeded and repeated. Makovecz fits this definition, he is the one who phrased in the seven-towered house in Sevilla the same message which has been discovered by an outstanding contemporary of ours.
Sometime ago, which is quite many years before, I called Makovecz the architect of God. I did not mean this respectful title for him because he had actually built so many earthly homes for God. In my eyes he deserved such a high rank because each building he designed are places where the Almighty could settle down with a peace of mind. For me it is a kind of revelation that entering a building by Makovecz we actually enter a tangible materialized microcosmos which is able to give us a momentary insight into eternity. Of course it is an achievement that could only be made by an architect of God himself…”