Falk Miksa utca – between Kossuth tér and Szent István körút – is an established Mecca for Budapest’s art collectors. It’s a neighborhood nexus of locations, with galleries, shops and auction houses attracting a year round artisan crowd.
It’s where renaissance and modern, baroque and art nouveau coexist harmoniously, and make for a fascinating wander – even if you don’t have an art collector’s budget to spend.
As a result, it’s been deemed the most suitable spot in Budapest to hold a diverse antique and modern art festival, the Falk Art Forum, supported by Concorde Group and taking place biannually. For the eighth time, the street will be completely pedestrianized from the afternoon until late into the night, with over 50 galleries, auction houses and shops joining forces to allow collectors, artists, scenesters and everyone in-between to browse and mingle amongst a treasure trove of aesthetic delights: old and new, traditional and cutting edge, quaint and controversial.
Unlike some events of the art world calendar, this is most definitely not exclusively addressed to insiders, art connoisseurs and collectors, but also to those who aren’t regulars to the street or the scene, who may approach the art world somewhat timidly. Though experts will find enough to get their teeth into, too. Here, works are removed from the formality of a white walled gallery or hallowed museum space, and instead you can touch them, talk loudly about them, argue over them, take them home, and live with them. Or simply just look.
Various events and performances will be taking place indoors and out on the street, with opera notably set to feature in some unexpected places. A selection of antique tours (in English), spanning paintings, jewelry, furniture and more, will also be delivered throughout the day. Hear from experts and gallery owners, discover secrets of the street and ask for treasure hunting tip-offs.
Take your pick from the following:
4 p.m.: Secrets of the Stones – See inside some of the street’s wonderful buildings.
5:30 p.m.: Müller Home Gallery – colorful paintings and art deco objects in a small flat.
7 p.m.: Paintings, Furniture & More – look around several shops and galleries.
8:30 p.m.: What’s This? – special objects and curiosities.
As places on tours are limited, make sure you have one! Send an e-mail to falkartforum@gmail.com.
April 24 from 2 p.m.-10 p.m.
1055 Budapest, Falk Miksa utca
www.falkart.hu (Hungarian only)