Titled Untold Stories, a new exhibition featuring post-1989 contemporary art collections from 21 regional Hungarian museums opened Saturday afternoon at the Modem Centre for Modern and Contemporary Art in Debrecen.
At the opening, Máté Vincze, Deputy State Secretary for Public Collections and Cultural Development at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, said the Modem had reached a milestone. While it has done much over the past decades to bring contemporary art to Debrecen, this is the first time it is not showcasing its own exhibition but instead hosting over 20 museums, representing the full spectrum of Hungary’s regional museums.
He highlighted that the exhibition was organized under the Hungarian Association of Regional Museums (MVMSZ) and serves as a contemporary continuation of the previously successful “Hungarian Genius” program.
Visitors to Debrecen can now see a selection from all major Hungarian contemporary collections in one place. Spread across more than 1,400 square meters, the exhibition also explores the practices of art collecting from 1989 to the present.
Vincze noted that many of the featured works are not only integral to Hungarian culture but also form part of the broader European cultural landscape. He praised the initiative, describing the resulting collection as rich and diverse. The exhibition is open until August 24.
Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa (Fidesz-KDNP) stated that economic development and cultural progress go hand in hand. He added that this exhibition does more than display art—it opens a meaningful dialogue on the role of regional museums, local identity, the evolution of collections, and shared cultural memory.
Kata Vizi, Director of Modem, emphasized the importance of collaboration, noting that the institution has increasingly focused on partnerships with cultural, museological, and educational institutions in recent years. This exhibition represents the culmination of that effort. Through the collections of regional museums, Untold Stories aims to show how institutions outside Budapest have grown in cultural value between 1989 and 2024.
László Cservenyák, Vice President of MVMSZ, which includes 140 Hungarian museums across the Carpathian Basin, pointed out that Hungarian museums house over 50 million artifacts—80% of which are located in regional institutions, including significant works of fine art.
The Debrecen exhibition showcases the diversity of today’s Hungarian contemporary art and highlights the contributions of prominent artists working across the country.
Visitors to the Untold Stories exhibition at Modem can view approximately 150 artworks from the collections of 21 Hungarian museums, as announced at the opening.
