Group Exhibition in Sopron Dedicated to the Town’s Honorary Title

The concept of loyalty is presented by seven artists in the group exhibition “The Town of Loyalty,” which opened on Sunday afternoon as part of SopronFest in the Munkácsy Hall of the Liszt Center. Kata Bereczki, Imre Bukta, István Ef Zámbó, Dániel Labrosse, Panni Sibitka, Nóra Soós, and Péter Weiler have nearly seventy of their works on display.

In her opening speech, Anikó Lévai, wife of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, said that one of the leitmotifs 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 really means. Perseverance to someone or something, loyalty to God, to man, to country, to community, to values, to ideals, or to oneself. In an age of increasingly radical notions of freedom, loyalty is no longer a value to be taken for granted,” she said.

Anikó Lévai. Photo: MTI/Filep István

Ciprián Farkas, mayor of Sopron, recalled that

Sopron was awarded the title of the “Most Loyal Town” (Civitas fidelissima) because the people voted to belong to Hungary in the 1921 referendum.

“This meant then that people believed that there was hope, that there was a tomorrow. It was a world-changing moment and it has defined Sopron’s identity ever since, it has become part of the city’s culture,” he stressed.

Zoltán Fülöp, one of the founders of SopronFest, said that all the artists of the exhibition had agreed to create a large heart-shaped installation at the statue of Mary in the Castle District between May 16 and 19, which also explores the concept of loyalty. The works of Imre Bukta and Nóra Soós have already been completed and were on display at the opening of the exhibition.

The founders of SopronFest intend to keep the works in Sopron, with the aim of having them purchased by local entrepreneurs and art lovers, and the proceeds from the sale going to charity.

The group exhibition “Town of Loyalty” will be open free of charge until May 20, with several guided tours by artists.

Fact

Between May 11-19, SopronFest offers 300 programs at nearly 100 venues across the city, with a wide range of stage performers and a variety of events. Sopron, located on the Austrian border, can be reached from Budapest in about two hours by car or train. The organizers therefore also recommend the festival to those who would like to visit the “Town of Loyalty” even for just one day. In addition to an unprecedented musical program, SopronFest also offers gastronomy, podcast discussions, nearly thirty exhibitions, tours, literature, cinema, wine tastings, and beer days.

Photo: Facebook/SopronFest

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Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Farkas Ciprián