Episode 11 – Budapest

Episode 11 – Budapest


Episode 11 – Budapest © Grafik: © Šejma Fere Episode 11 – Budapest Grafik: © Šejma Fere
A podcast by Lucia Udvardyová and Máté Elod Janky

Featuring:
Gáspár Miklós Tamás
Marci Bíró
Nándor Hevesi aka Ivan Buharov
Andi Soós
Gábor Kovács aka Új Bála
Lilla Lőrinc ​​​​​​​
 

DIY or Die: Budapest Beneath the Surface

Episode 11 of the Timezones podcast series, co-initiated and co-produced by Norient and the Goethe-Institut. Conceived in the wake of Hungary’s latest parliamentary elections in April 2022 which reinforced the Orbán government’s grip on power for an unknown number of years, this episode aims to delve into the city’s independent (i.e. non-government funded) arts and music scene.

While the title of this episode (DIY or Die), alluding to the DIY aesthetics and bricolage methods of the punk scene, might sound rather succinct and harsh, these are the conditions the Budapest cultural scene mostly operates in. The podcast opens with Gáspár Miklós Tamás whom I visited in his centrally located Budapest apartment where I, irony of ironies, apparently sat in a chair the Hungarian prime minister used to sit in back when his political orientation was “slightly” different.

We then move on to Gólya, a space that hosts live music, DJ sets and workshops as well as several NGOs and media outlets operating in an increasingly hostile environment. It is the epitome of this DIY, community-, and collectively run philosophy. For the Buharov brothers, freedom and independence are indispensable. They gained international recognition despite being largely shunned by local arts funding. Their films draw you into an opulent, often absurdist and surrealist world whose protagonists are largely sourced from the Buharov brothers’ colorful array of artistic friends from various corners of the city’s underground scene. Ivan, one of the Buharov brothers, is featured in this podcast.

Last but not least, there is of course humor, something that hasn’t evaporated despite all the doom and gloom. MAGA-like red caps with the white inscription “Eastern European Accent” are frequently spotted at various Budapest events. They can be traced to the band Exotic Girlfriend, whose lead singer Andi Soós is also a curator. I also meet Gábor Kovács aka Új Bála in his Buda flat and we conduct our interview surrounded by boxes and empty walls. Gábor is moving to Brussels in search of a better life and to pursue his musical activities. Many people are talking about leaving, exhausted and fed up with waiting for systemic change. Then again: “You just have to go and do it, wherever you can”, says visual artist Lilla Lőrinc.
 

Bonus Material


How Does a Power Plant Go on Working?
moderated and produced by Krisztián Puskár

General political disillusionment and the shadow of financial crisis are a heavy burden in the 13th year of Viktor Orbán’s regime, causing general burnout and escapism not just in Hungarian society but in Budapest’s supposedly critical underground music and art scenes.

Timezones Budapest’s producer Lucia Udvardyova, experimental/metal drummer Balázs Pándi and moderator Krisztián Puskár discuss how the rise of the state-funded “House of Music, Hungary” created a rift in the music community, how the system feeds on these conflicts, and how Udvardyova’s report about Hungary’s nationalist rock scene, made ten years ago, inspired her decision to revisit the acclaimed leftist philosopher in this episode made for Norient and the Goethe-Institut.

What are the limitations of talking about politics in art and everyday life? Is leaving the country a real alternative? Is the infrastructure of Budapest’s music underground prepared or equipped for the existential crisis that is approaching as we speak?
 

Balázs Pándi © © private Balázs Pándi © private
Balázs Pándi is a drummer and former promoter with roots and formative years in metal and punk music as well as many international collaborations in the experimental and improv jazz field, including projects with Merzbow, Keiji Haino, Mats Gustaffson, Thurston Moore, Attila Csihar, KK Null, Jim Jarmusch, etc. He also works as a journalist.

Balázs Pándi – Instagram
Balázs Pándi – Discogs

Krisztián Puskár © © Roland Elekes Krisztián Puskár © Roland Elekes
Krisztián Puskár is a journalist, editor, media worker, organizer, curator of UH Fest, radio host at Punctum (Prague) and Lahmacun (Budapest), and occasional DJ.

Krisztián Puskár – Instagram

Credits

Credits:

Artistic Editor: Abhishek Matur
Project Management: Hannes Liechti
Video Trailer: Emma Nzioka
Jingle Voiceover: Nana Akosua Hanson
Jingle Mix: Daniel Jakob
Mastering: Adi Flück, Centraldubs
Artwork: Šejma Fere

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