The man who stole the slice
Endre pulled his coat tight over himself and stepped out of the door of the Godot Institute. As soon as he reached the street, a strong gust of wind struck his face. Endre looked around but found nothing else but the slowly turning nylon bags and the drifting shadows beside the tree trunks.
Come on, no more! – he shouted angrily. – Who stole the slice again?
Suddenly it occurred to him that the ventilation shafts of the Magyar Tudományos Akadémia had lately been plundered.
She set off toward the ancient building. In the courtyard a strange spectacle unfolded before her eyes: inflated films danced and fluttered as if some mysterious force were moving them.
Endre cautiously slipped and pressed his ear to the floor. A deep, throbbing roar filled his ears, like that of a stationary steam locomotive. He stood up and made his way toward the academy's entrance. The great door was partially ajar. Endre pushed it open and stepped into the dark ground‑floor corridor. The wind grew stronger, as if a gigantic mouth were sucking the air out of the world beyond.
Endre rushed through the winding corridors, down the staircase, into the depths of the crypt. There he found the roof: a huge steel beast snorting, it grated the air. It was the ventilation system, which, with its dreadful horn, sucked the Academy’s exhalation.
It must be stopped! - shouted Endre, and hurriedly looked around for something that could avert the danger.
In the corner of the room, he spotted an old‑fashioned furry canvas bag. He sprang, and with all his might hurled the beast into its maw. The bag jammed in the barrel, and the whole system stopped and went dark.
Endre stormed into the courtyard. The plastic sheets and bags lay peacefully on the ground. The wind had subsided, leaving only a faint hiss against his face.
"Ah, Mr Széchenyi's breath! – he sighed in relief, inhaling fresh air with a breath as big as that of someone breathing for the first time."
From now on Endre has become the guardian of the exhibition, so that the “Kérem, sóhajtson, Széchenyi Úr!” show can become unforgettable for everyone at the Godot Intézet until 23 June.
"The exhibition titled “Kérem, sóhajtson, Széchenyi Úr!” is a significant art‑historical event that raises fundamental questions about the metaphysical dimensions of being and art."
Koronczi Endre's replacement installation visualises the movement of air, the most fundamental condition of existence, in monumental form. An artwork built from the ventilation system of the building of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences embodies the eternal cycle that forms the basis of human civilisation – breathing. The exhibition’s videos, installations and graphics explore the philosophical and existential aspects of airflow, drawing attention to the beauty and significance of a basic condition of life.
This deeply thought‑provoking exhibition offers a unique opportunity for enthusiasts of contemporary visual art to experience the artistic rendering of air’s primal element.
Address: 1036 Budapest, Fényes Adolf utca 21.
Author: Laczkovich Borbála
