The Museum of Fine Arts and Printa have taken the relationship between fashion and art to a new level.
A rarely seen graphic work by László Moholy-Nagy has conquered a new space and a new medium in the form of a special textile product collection. In connection with the Museum of Fine Arts’ latest temporary exhibition , Kertész, Moholy-Nagy, Capa… / Hungarian Photographers in America (1914–1989), which opened on April 5, a bold and modern collaboration was born between the museum and Printa, one of Hungary’s first environmentally conscious design brands.
The photography exhibition deservedly found its place within the walls of the Fine Arts, as the exhibition coming from the state of Virginia pays full tribute to the world-famous talent of Hungarian photographers and one of the most versatile innovators, László Moholy-Nagy. It was a serious recognition on the part of the museum that all this can be a source of inspiration and a driving force for outstanding Hungarian creators in other fields, such as design and textile design, which can result in the creation of many new great works and unique products. Perhaps it may still be surprising to many how permeable the boundaries of the cultural and commercial sectors can actually be. Through a collaboration, the Museum of Fine Arts is able to connect universal values to other brands and, breaking down old-fashioned entanglements, connect with society beyond its walls. Instead of passivity, the most significant domestic sanctuary of the fine arts has now reached the international level, and this intention, this activity and dynamism now characterizes it as a brand.
Following the request, Printa also approached Moholy's constructivist work Composition with true "Hungarian talent", boldly yet with a subtle flair. It transformed the medium and adapted the linoleum engraving printed on paper using the hand screen printing technique to organic T-shirts, sweaters, strong jute-cotton bags and notebooks. According to Bálint Varga, the brand's leading graphic designer and production manager, an important moment is that the original work is not applied to the products one by one, but appears on them reconstructed, retaining only its internal organizing principle. The revised design now exists in a dynamically changing space, at the focal point of new dimensions, due to the movement of the wearer of a garment, and can therefore always carry a different meaning. In addition to the basic shapes, the addition of blue among the basic colors gives the products even more playfulness, and the small light and shadow effects that form on the surface of the textiles also have an exciting effect on the complementary black and white contrasts.
On the evening of April 12, MúzeumShop presented to a small group of people completely sustainable and environmentally friendly T-shirts, sweaters, large, practical shopper bags and Moholy-Nagy typographic booklets made from organic and innovative raw materials and cut without any material residue. The invited guests were able to gain an insight into the months-long work process and see the original artwork that was the main inspiration and is otherwise not available to the general public.
The limited edition product collection is now available in the MúzeumShop Fine Arts store and webshop, as well as in the Printa store.