Dugattyús x Szépművészeti // Well-aging

One of today’s well-known phenomena is ageism, or well-aging, which reflects the idea that old age is not (only) a hardship, but also an opportunity for different ways of thinking and behaving. In art history, periodization has always placed much greater emphasis on artists’ early years than on the later stages of their careers. For a long time, the art of old age was considered a taboo, often interpreted as decline. This perception is also present on a broader social level, since modern, Western, urbanized societies still tend to value youth more highly.

The event connects to the themes of the Museum of Fine Arts’ exhibition Shortening Future, as the works on display are not belated creations but exciting elements of individual oeuvres—dynamic new beginnings, liberated, playful acts free of stakes. With the participants of the discussion, we will explore questions such as: What experiences arise from decades of practice? What advantages come from gaining perspective on one’s own body of work? What are the things that, after reaching a certain age or achieving certain results, we can let go of—or allow ourselves?

In collaboration between Dugattyús and the Museum of Fine Arts, a special series of discussions is being realized, focusing on themes related to current exhibitions of the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hungarian National Gallery. At these events, experts, artists, and public figures share their reflections on the questions raised by the exhibitions.

Participants of the discussion:

• Ági Pataki, model, film producer
• György Dragomán, writer, translator
• Kata Bodor, art historian, curator of the exhibition

Moderator:

• Dóra Lovass,