Taken at Home Photo-Diary. André Kertész and Hungarians Open to the public: 01. April - 29. May 2005.
Taken at Home · André Kertész

Between April 1st 2005 and  May 29th 2005 the Hungarian Museum of Photography and Mai Manó House have arranged a comprehensive exhibition of André Kertész's (Budapest, 1894 - New York, 1985) oeuvre relating to Hungary in all the three exhibition halls of Mai Manó House.

The exhibition presents a selection from the photographs preserved in the Hungarian Museum of Photography, the André Kertész Museum in Szigetbecse, the Photo Collection of the Hungarian National Museum, the Petőfi Literary Museum and the National Theatre Historical Museum and Institute.

On the occasion of the exhibition Mai Manó House has published a book with almost 200 photographs entitled
Kincses, Károly – Kolta, Magdolna: Taken at Home
Photo Diary. André Kertész and the Hungarians

André Kertész was born in Hungary and lived here for thirty-one years. Could it possibly be said that he did not have the most determinant cultural, social and many other influences in this country? Could it possibly be said that he did not gain his first, most important experiences of the world and photography in this country? Could it possibly be said that he did not become a man in this country?  I hope not. But could it be wholeheartedly said that the following eleven years spent in Paris, and the bigger part of his life, almost fifty years spent in New York are not just as important? That would not be true, either. Though, there are several articles, studies, books about his life and work in Paris and New York, the period of the first thirty years is less well-documented. Our intention is not to elaborate on this problem, but to take readers one step further in the process of understanding André Kertész.
Kertész said at least once in each statement of his, that he had been making a photo diary all his life. It seems proven by the dates and notes handwritten on the back page of his photographs. We are to respect it and write his photographic biography, but this time using only his photographs taken in or concerning Hungary, and among those, only original or printed pieces that are available. The André Kertész Museum in Szigetbecse and the Hungarian Museum of Photography preserve a significant part of the Kertész-oeuvre. This book presents photographs of the Hungarian collections as completely as is possible.
On what basis did we make our selection of Kertész photographs? Photographs have been selected from his pictures taken in the first phase of his life, in Hungary that document scenes of World War I. Pictures taken during the second or third phase of his life spent in Paris or New York were only considered if they present or relate to Hungarian events or persons, that is, to Hungaricums. Finally, a selection is presented from his pictures taken during his visits to Hungary at the end of his life. If these photographs are sequenced one after the other chronologically and are completed with some biographical notes, comments, as well as Kertész's own memories, we may well hope to have got to know something new about the artist now deceased for twenty years.
It is a picture-guided tour with André Kertész across ninety years and two continents.

Exhibition entitled
Taken at Home
Photo Diary. André Kertész and the Hungarians
between April 1st 2005 and  May 29th 2005

André Kertész exhibition hall on the first floor

An exhibition of photographs taken by André Kertész, one of the most significant and definitely internationally the most famous artist of Hungarian photography is presented in the exhibition hall named after him for the first time.
This special occasion serves as a tribute to his unique talent deservedly acknowledged and at the same time is a name-giving ceremony for the exhibition hall on the first floor.
Hopefully, this unique exhibition will be a worthy expression of respect for the artist acknowledged in the history of universal photography.

Portraits of André Kertész
(taken by Hungarian and foreign photographers)
between April 1st 2005 and May 29th 2005

Mai Manó Gallery on the mezzanine

Our intention is to give an overall picture not only of André Kertész the photographer, but the man, the way he lived and worked as well.
Simultaneously with the pictures of the Photo Diary portraits of the artist taken by his contemporaries, pupils as well as by members of the younger generation are presented.

Unknown photographs of André Kertész
Images and objects from the apartment on Washington Square
between April 1st 2005 and May 29th 2005

George Eastman exhibition hall on the 2nd floor

The exhibition was presented in 2001 in the Hungarian Museum of Photography and in Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris.