Fifth Edition of 360 Design Budapest Features Exclusive Guided Tours

The Red Dot Award-winning 360 Design Budapest, organised by the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency, opened its doors again presenting the best pieces of the domestic and regional design scene at a special historic venue, the former waiting room of Nyugati Railway Station. Exclusive guided tours further enrich the exhibition, which features over 300 artworks.

The 360 Design Budapest exhibition, held as the central event of Budapest Design Week, is introducing the audience to almost 300 exciting works by more than 100 domestic and international artists. The exhibition’s program features free, interactive, colourful guided tours, with renowned artists and professionals guiding visitors through the displayed furniture, home decor accessories, and applied and fine arts objects, presenting them from their own artistic point of view. Thus, visitors can get to know the outstanding works of the Hungarian and regional creative industry through personal stories and have direct contact with the artists and the creations, gaining new perspectives in design and art. This year, the exhibition especially focuses on education and expanding professional knowledge: the organisers provide experience-based guided tours for vocational training and higher education institutions so that even more young people and emerging professionals can learn about the most prevalent contemporary design trends.

On the 16^th of October, Wednesday, between 7 and 8 p.m., Judit Osvárt, a prominent figure of contemporary Hungarian design, launched the series of guided tours. Judit has been the curator of Budapest Design Week for years, shaping Hungarian design culture. She now works as the editor-in-chief of ELLE Decoration magazine and contributes to the development of the Hungarian design scene as an associate of Studio Barath. In addition, she has been focusing on mentoring young talents and supporting artisanship for four years as Ambassador of the Michelangelo Foundation in Hungary, founded by the Swiss Richemont Group. Judit’s immense professional experience and knowledge allowed her to present the design world from a unique perspective. Under her guidance, the visitors gained insight into the most important works of contemporary Hungarian design.

On Thursday, the 17^th of October, from 8 to 9 p.m., Zsófia Szamosi, Jászai Mari Award-winning actress, presented the cross-sections between contemporary art and design in a unique guided tour. Zsófia obtained her degree at the University of Theatre and Film Arts and then wrote her name into the book of international and domestic theatre and film history with the leading roles in the Oscar-winning movie Sing and One Day, which debuted in Cannes. During the pandemic, she complemented her theatre studies with a degree in interior design, pursuing her long-standing passion for architecture and design. Her guided tour combined personal stories with her experience in art, showcasing how theatre and interior design intertwine, particularly in the study of the relationship between space and design.

On the 18^th of October, Friday, from 6 to 7 p.m., Iván Vitáris, the frontman of Ivan & The Parazol, invites those interested to a special guided tour. He obtained his degree in design at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics; thus, besides music, his passion for fine arts and design also determines his work. In his guided tour, he examines Hungarian and regional design traditions, their historical roots, and the interweaving of arts and everyday life, allowing visitors to discover the deeper connections between design and arts through Iván’s professional insights from an authentic and creative perspective.

On the 19^th of October, Saturday, between 2 and 3 p.m., Zoltán Tombor, an internationally acclaimed photographer, talks about the works presented at the 360 Design Budapest exhibition. Tombor began his career in photography in the mid-nineties in Budapest and then built his career in the prestigious art worlds of Milan and New York. He has become one of the best-known figures in fashion and portrait photography. Acknowledged publications such as The New York Times, Time, Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar published his works; however, he has worked primarily on art projects since he moved back to Hungary, and his works are part of many institutional and private collections. In his tour, he provides an insight into the world of fashion and portrait photography, unveiling the aesthetic subtleties of the works through his own artistic vision.

On the 20^th of October, Sunday, between 1 and 2 p.m., Adél Keller, a young content creator and student of Commerce and Marketing at Budapest Business University, guides the visitors through the exhibition space in an exclusive tour while giving them a comprehensive picture of the world of Hungarian fashion and design and its hidden details. Adél started her career in the fashion scene at the age of 17, then worked in the content creator team of Budapest Central European Fashion Week for six seasons. In her guided tour, she provides insight into the works of Hungarian fashion brands and designers, with a special focus on supporting domestic designers and shaping the future of the creative industry. Despite her young age, she is deeply committed to Hungarian fashion and shares her fresh and inspiring point of view with those interested through her personal experiences. 

Finally, as the closing highlight of the event series, internationally acclaimed visual artist Márton Nemes will crown the series of guided tours on Sunday, the 20^th of October, between 4 and 5 p.m. Márton graduated in Industrial Design and Painting; in 2018, he completed his Master's studies at the prestigious Chelsea College of Arts in London. His works, which blend elements of painting and sculpture along with his multimedia installations, create a dynamic spatial experience that almost pulls viewers out of the rawness of reality, leading them into a colourful, vibrant field of hues. The artist represents Hungary at the 60^th Venice Biennale in 2024 with his exhibition “Techno Zen” with Róna Kopeczky, curator. In the guided tour, visitors can gain insight into the artistic universe of Márton Nemes while discovering the aesthetic principles and conceptual approaches behind the displayed design objects.