Edinburgh by Török Viktória

In February I went to Scotland for a couple of days to visit my friends in Edinburgh. They invited me to stay in their lovely new home. We had amazing time, beautiful posh meal in the Dome, drinks at the bar of the Balmoral Hotel and a couple of art walks. One evening they took me to a little restaurant in the Royal Mile where we could bring our own drinks as they don’t have licence to sell alcohol. I never visited a place like that before. So just after drinks in the trendy Hotel Missoni we went to Sainsbury’s and bought a couple of beers and wines and with our orange plastic bags walked up to the Royal Mile. Our waiter brought the menus to us and a bottle opener with empty glasses. The food was great and we had brilliant time.

On the last day we went to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art to see Karla Black’s works. She is representing Scotland in the Venice Biennial this year.  Then we had lunch in the Dean Gallery just next to Eduardo Paolozzi ‘s massive sculpture the Vulcan. We had such a great time and I almost missed the train back to London so we had to hurry up to collect my luggage and catch the train.  After the departure my phone rang. It was my friend – I forgot her keys. I took them to London with me and posted next day.



Royal Academy of Arts by Török Viktória

After last year’s Treasures from Budapest exhibition this summer Hungarians will take over the Royal Academy of Arts in London again.  I love going to the Royal Academy, the building is amazing and you can feel the history inside while walking up the step. They have a superb bookstore and gift shop – even selling china decorated with Tracey Emin’s drawings. (I picked her as she is one of my favourites). Books are great and their Christmas cards are beautiful. Actually the Treasures from Budapest exhibition catalogue you can buy here in Budapest in the bookshop of the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum).

To celebrate the European Presidency of Hungary there will be a Hungarian Photography Exhibition – opening end of June. Artists like Brassaï, Munkacsi, Moholy-Nagy, Kertesz and Capa – all in one place. There will be pictures from war to Hollywood film stars and pictures which capture the period of economic and social change in Hungary and Europe between 1914 and 1989.

Almost two years ago there was a Robert Capa exhibition in Budapest in the Ludwig Museum.  Capa who is considered to be the greatest war photographer ever was born in Budapest in 1913. After leaving Hungary he had an amazing life travelling around the world, living in hotels, and having friends like Ernest Hemingway or Pablo Picasso and a love affair with Ingrid Bergman.

by Török Viktória

One of my favourite places in Paris is the exhibition space on the top of the Louis Vuitton store at the Champs-Elysées. It is almost like a little secret up in the air. Bernard Arnault, the owner of the LVMH group is one of the greatest art collectors in the world. He is so passionate about art and his collection. In the Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton there are 3-4 exhibitions per year.  You can visit the space via the store but I would recommend you to enter from the rue Bassano. This way you don’t need to queue to get in. The lift that takes you up to the 7^th floor was designed by Olafur Eliasson and is a real experience itself. At the gallery you get a brilliant little catalogue with the exhibition. It is free and beautifully made – a lot of people collect them.

Even if you are not a big fan of the brand after visiting the space go and visit the store. Admire the old trunks from the past and please go to the luggage area, sit on one of the sofas and when you feel very comfortable look up to the ceiling. It is amazing!

by Török Viktória

Just a couple of days before I left London we decided with the girls to do the Olympic Games Tour. You can visit the construction site and dream about the 2012 Games already. It was raining of course but that was the last chance for me and we wanted to do it together.

We had to meet with our guide at the Bromley by Bow tube station. He took us for a 2 hours walk to Stratford – the beginning was very good actually but then it was way too long….especially walking in the rain. All the way I did hope that we really gonna go behind the fence and walk inside of the stadium. Until our guide said goodbye I did hope.

 Just travel to Pudding Mill Lane DLR station and there it is. Anish Kapoor’s massive tower is under construction already. Zaha Hadid’s swimming centre is done. From the sides the two extra wings will be removed once the games are over. Because of those you cannot really see the wave shape of the building right now.

Next to the building site there is a cute little coffee shop to have a rest and have a nice hot chocolate. Perfect for a rainy day.

London by Török Viktória

The day I left London I took a cab from Muswell Hill to Victoria to catch my train for Gatwick. It was early morning, still very dark and cold. The cab passed by places that I knew very well or places I never made time to visit. Somehow they were all familiar and suddenly London looked like a small city. I spent three years here.

It was still so surreal to move back to Budapest. As everyone else I came with a reason to London. Wanted to find me and what actually drives me. And I did. After all those years at uni studying economics, math and statistics, here I found art. No longer interested in a career with figures and excel sheets. I always wanted art to come into my life just didn’t know how… I blame all those studies (not the parties though).

 And then Louis Vuitton was about to have a fab little art bookstore and a mini gallery space – to me a little art department –in their New Bond Street Maison.  I wanted to be there. I had two amazing colleagues from the Tate. This is how it started the rest is history for me.  

Now I am back in Budapest still settling down. I need to keep up the hard work to be up to date as London had it all. No more quick visit to White Cube gallery in my lunch break or pop into the shop at the Royal Academy of Arts to buy those postcards for mum.

My real journey is just about to begin.