The International Lake Velence Symposion
Az alapítás éve: 2006
Fenntartó és működtető: Symposion Alapítvány
Szakmai vezető: Péter Ágnes szobrászművész
1087 Budapest, Százados út 3-13. T
el.: +36-30- 200 77 65
e-mail: [email protected]
Székhely, levelezési cím: Symposion Alapítvány,
H-2481 Velence, Bogrács u. 14
Életképek
The International Lake Velence Symposion
The Nature Art Symposion was established in 2006 by Ágnes Péter, Munkácsy Prize- winning sculptor following the great success of the Creative Art Workshop held as part of the Lake Velence Summer Games. She felt that artists could join in this important series of cultural events in other manners too.
From the beginning the International Lake Velence Symposion proved a challenge to the particpating artists as the aim was not only to make nature-artworks, but also to offer the chance for development of the settlements surrounding the lake with the aid of the artists involved. Thanks to this work the eastern stretch of Lake Velence may now be considered to be a Creative Shoreline. The shores of the lake provide complex themes and a diversity of natural materials for the artists, whilst the works born in these natural surroundings offer a regular opportunity for the strengthening of local-awareness and future vision for the inhabitants and for the discussion of critically important local devlopment questions with the local experts and residents.
Beside the exhibitions and publications containing the works the participants in the symposion also seek those new and effective communication possibilities with which today and, in the future, the works made here may be brought closer to the public. The participating artists participate in numerous conferences, organise symposia and show the results in the country’s important cultural events (e.g the exhibition at the MODEM in Debrecen in 2014 and the exhibition at the Kunsthalle in Budapest in 2015 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Symposion Foundation and the Symposion Society presenting the work of 45 Hungarian symposia in which the Lake Velence Symposion paid especial attention to the new communication techniques and employment of 3-D hightech equipment). Targeting the younger generation they developed a unique art APP for smart phones. Using the application two and three dimensional works and videos may be surfed with accompanying text explanations whilst the location of the works may be viewed on the map. The works made at Lake Velence may not be seen elsewhere as they were made from ephemeral materials and thus in the open air or on the water of the lake they soon disappear, returning into the cycle of nature.
The most pressing aim of the symposion was that it should have its own workshops and exhibition space, where other events might also be organised beside the symposia. Finally the local council offered the island on which the symposion’s opening ceremony had been previously held on a long-term lease for a token sum. The artists planted trees and bushes in place of the scrub-land to be found there and took possession in 2017.
The symposion is able to provide the necessary conditions through grants. One such was the 2019 Leader Programme grant with which a multi-functional barn was built on the island in 2020. From then on the island has become the meeting-place for the arts. A landing stage was built for the small boats with which the island may be reached. With these changes a new era began, providing the artists with the opportunity to make numerous innovative experiments. The Barn offers a place for making works and for exhibiting, for presentation, community relations, friendly parties and for serious, responsible thinking about the further development of the island which – at least at high water-levels – may provide a setting for combined arts festivals, thus offering a new recreational possibilty for regional tourism
The symposion’s other major aim is to encourage the region’s administarors to take art events and results seriously and utilise these in local recreation and regional development. The symposion events are open to the inquistive and to those wishing to co-operate. Every year a discussion is held on the subject of art and regional development and on feedback of the works made within the region.
During the symposia IT specialists; architects; teachers and students from various arts universities from Hungary and abroad;, installation, electrographics and video producing sculptors and artists; designers; writers and composers work together. Participating artists are expected to make a presentation of their work in English and Hungarian. They must also, when applying for participation, present a workplan which is in keeping with the aims of the symposion and which fits the perameters of nature art.
As the book ’Hymn to the Sun’, presenting the work of the syposion and the works made here, is not available to everyone a virtual gallery and sculpture park has been made as an aid. The appliction, which is in Hungarian and English, may be found at ARTsymposion APP and may be downloaded free of charge for Android and IOS telephones from the Play Shop or through the QR code available locally. In Velence at the Korzó near the beach a large marker may be found which can be freely downloaded and by choosing augmented reality in the menu a virtual sculpture park may be viewed in the real surroundings of the lake’s shore. The virtual sculpture park allows the chance for eveybody to view the works produced here over the years and thus the works are available at all times, anywhere, to all.
Another important area of the symposion’s work is methodology, in which work the teachers and students of Hungary’s higher education institutions participate. To date eight universities have participated in the international symposia. The direct and positive experience of the professors has lead to the symposion method and to nature art’s acceptance in the study programmes. Besides this the symposion offers the possibility of adapting new methods in art education, aesthetics and environmental studies. The symposion systematically deals with the evaluation and dissemination of the results.
The symposion ran a successful project, in which, with the help of the local community, 100 fruit trees were planted on the island. In 2021 an open-air exhibition was held in the main square of St. Gheorghe, whilst a presentation was given in the MAGMA Gallery on the the symposion’s work to date. Thanks to the succcess of this an invitation was received from the neighbouring village of Bikfalva, where a workshop was held in the junior school. The relationship formed here continues to thrive on both sides.
