According to Anikó Lévai, in the age of freedom interpreted in an increasingly radical way, it is no longer a value that can be taken for granted.

The concept of loyalty is represented by seven artists in the group exhibition The City of Loyalty that opened on Sunday afternoon as part of SopronFest in the Munkácsy Hall of the Liszt Center.

At the exhibition, Kata Bereczki, Imre Bukta, István Ef Zámbó, Dániel Labrosse, Panni Sibitka, Nóra Soós and Péter Weiler will present nearly seventy of their works.

In her opening speech, Anikó Lévai, wife of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, said that one of the main themes of the exhibition is loyalty, referring to Sopron as the most loyal city.

At the same time, the exhibition raises the question of what loyalty means. Persistence with someone or something, loyalty to God, man, country, community, values, ideals, or ourselves.

Loyalty is no longer a self-evident value in the age of freedom interpreted in an increasingly radical way, he said.

He added: all works of art, especially contemporary ones, hold a mirror before us, they reflect on the world, age, environment and ourselves. All of this is more instructive and expressive than any newspaper article or art analysis, he said.

Ciprián Farkas, the mayor of Sopron (Fidesz-KDNP), recalled that Sopron was awarded the title of the most loyal city (Civitas fidelissima) because the people decided to join Hungary in the 1921 referendum.

This then meant that, according to people, there is hope, there is tomorrow. It was a world-famous moment and has been a defining part of Sopron's identity ever since, becoming a part of the city's culture.

Ciprián Farkas then presented a certificate of appreciation from the mayor to István Ef Zámbó, an artist who won the Munkácsy Prize, whose sculpture chairs on the city's streets, squares and restaurant terraces remind visitors of the world music stars who visited Sopron in the past.

Zoltán Fülöp, one of the founders of SopronFest, said that all the exhibitors of the exhibition agreed to create a large, heart-shaped installation at the Mária statue in the Castle District between May 16 and 19, which also deals with the concept of loyalty.

The works of Imre Bukta and Nóra Soós have already been completed, they were already visible at the opening of the exhibition.

According to the intention of the founders of SopronFest, the works will remain in Sopron, the goal is that they will be purchased by local entrepreneurs and art lovers, and the proceeds from sales will be used by the artists for charity.

Norbert Lobenwein, the other founder of SopronFest, said that the series of programs started on Saturday and will last until May 19. Around 300 programs await visitors at 75 locations throughout the city, including thirty exhibitions.

The group exhibition "The City of Loyalty" can be visited for free until May 20, and the artists will give guided tours on several occasions.

MTI

Cover photo: Anikó Lévai, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's wife, gives a speech at the opening of the group exhibition The City of Loyalty in the Munkácsy Hall of the Liszt Center in Sopron
Source: MTI/István Filep