Identity Statement

Reference Code

HU OSA 206-2-54

Title

Concrete. Books Bound in Concrete

Date(s)

2008

Description Level

Series

Context

Name of creator(s)

Open Society Archives at Central European University

Administrative / Biographical history

János Hübler and Nemere Kerezsi, Ph. D. students at the Budapest Academy of Fine Arts (supervisor: György Jovánovics), have created the "Concrete. Books bound in concrete" installation, using two cubic meters of concrete and eighteen cubic meters of discarded books. 

Originally part of a large collection at Radio Free Europe’s Research Institute in Munich, the books were donated to the Central European University in Budapest. CEU's and OSA's libraries have selected and catalogued a good part of the books, and the ones that were not included into their holdings, were offered to the public gratis. The eighteen cubic meters of books used for the installation are actually the leftovers, unwanted by the public.

Archival history

The two artists executed the project with the help of Márta Rácz. The books were built into a concrete foundation regardless of their content. Arranged with their spines pointing downwards, they constitute interesting shapes of various heights, due to their different sizes. The resulting structure set in concrete did not have a final shape as a floor surface, because, by walking on it, the visitors continuously eroded it. The installation constitutes at the same time a monument to eternal knowledge ”set in concrete”, and to degenerating information, to the immortality of the past and its disintegration, while also offering an opportunity to reflect on the essence of books. During the exhibition period 4-7 June 2008, the public was welcome to visit OSA's accompanying literary events. Two Poetry Nights were organized, when contemporary Hungarian poets were presented in person, and also through the lens of the photographer Lenke Szilágyi.  The other events included a book presentation, a public discussion and readings from a number of recently published books, in both Hungarian and English.  The literary programs were hosted by András Mink, Lajos Parti Nagy and Lídia Nádori.  Poets invited:  Tibor Babiczky, Szilárd Borbély, Kristóf Csengery, Mátyás Dunajcsik, Virág Erdős, Győző Ferencz, István Géher, András Gerevich, Balázs Györe, Ákos Győrffy, Zoltán Halasi, András Imreh, László István G., Attila Jász, Tamás Jónás, Péter Kántor, István Kemény, Levente Király, Endre Kukorelly, Dénes Krusovszky, János Lackfi, László Lator, Júlia Lázár, László András Magyar, Mónika Mesterházi, Ádám Mestyán, Ádám Nádasdy, Zoltán Pallag, Péter Rácz, László Sajó, Bálint Solymosi, Anna T. Szabó., Balázs Szálinger, Ferenc Szijj, Ákos Szilágyi, Zsuzsa Takács, János Térey, Gergely Balázs Vajda, Mátyás Varga and Szabolcs Várady. Authors presented: Bob Dent, Gábor Tabajdi and Krisztián Ungváry. Opening night: 4 June, 2008 Opening remarks by: Ádám Nádasdy writer, poet, translator Open: June 4 - June 7, 2008.

Content and Structure

Accruals

Not Expected

Conditions of Access and Use

Conditions governing access

Not Restricted

Languages

English, Hungarian