The gypsy flea market was forgone for a trip to Ikea. Holly and I headed out with Beata, who thankfully stayed with us and drove us to a tram stop by Farkasreti cemetery, so I knew the way home. Otherwise, we'd likely be lost trying to catch the right bus from out in nowwheresville back to Budapest!
But, both of us found the kinds of frames we were looking for. I bought nine, small 2.5 inch x 2.5 inch square frames, gunmetal in color.
After breakfast this morning, I laid down and thought long and hard about what my project will be for the gallery. I have over 2000 photos and five video tapes worth of material to pilfer from - all mine, all original. But I needed a theme. And I was in love with one of my shots from the Memento park, actually, quite a few of them, where hands were part of the scenery. So I mulled about this...hands. Reaching out. Touching. Connecting. Traversing time and space, holding on or letting go. Moving beyond language and national boundaries -- a tactile response to History, Society, Culture, love and loss.
I went through my raw video and found many shots of hands as well. Hands of artist's working (my roommates, who I shot while in the middle of their processes - drawing, designing, crocheting), my hand as I put my ticket in the tram validator, the gypsy homeless women smoking, the hands of Barbara from Kerepesi as she passed the paper on to me with Agoston's name, phone number and address.
I pitched my concept and ideas to Beata and showed her a few of the photos I had collected so far. She was very receptive and positive and loved the idea. And so, I've figured it out. All my random ideas and thoughts and experiences collected into 9 shots, all encompassing different ways of REACHING OUT.
With that confirmed, I suddenly felt really excited and motivated about the gallery pieces, which are separate entities from the film project. I simply had to keep these two projects distinct. The weight and difficulty of trying to edit a short piece right now is like trying to master the Hungarian language in just a few days! Impossible! But I think this idea has a strong conceptual base and I really feel like many of the images I've acquired are "high art" and have the potential to sell. We'll see!
Today, we went for lunch at the huge market (which eclipses even Eastern Market by volumes!) and enjoyed stuffed cabbage rolls, sauerkraut and I had an espresso. I noticed in the menu that they had Lecso! (Letcho). So I bought a container of it for dinner tonight, to see how it differs from the version my mom made while growing up and that I make all the time for Christian and I. We love it so much I have to make it twice a month! I can't wait to be hungry again so I can eat it up! Also picked up 3 kinds of paprika to bring home and lovely grey wool shawl. And wine, yum!
Of course, on our way to the market, we find the elusive thrift/antique store I've been looking for all along...and OF COURSE, they have antique frames at a reasonable price. Still I wouldn't have been able to afford more than 2 or 3 for the price of the mini-frames I got at Ikea.
Tomorrow, we spend the day with Beata going to the artist's colony and visiting their studios and work spaces. This should be great!
Agoston emailed my mom and she's overwhelmed with emotion - laughter, tears, joy. I know, I feel the exact same way myself. We have tentative plans for her to come down to Richmond a week or so after I get back from Budapest and spend a few days planning the future and a way for her to reunite with her family.
Life is beautiful, isn't it?
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