Budapest Design Week (er, month more like) has had no shortage of markets, fairs and strange names. We decided to take a look at Kreatim, an artisan market held four times per year, housed in the amazing
Iparművészeti Múzeum (museum of applied arts).
With a roof like this, you just know there are good things inside:
Like this ceiling. My gosh:
Because there was a small admission fee, we took the opportunity to take in the museum exhibits, also, including an amazing art deco exhibit where I managed to snap one forbidden photo for you. I am 100% going to weld some nested tables just. like. these.
Kreatim:
The admission fee also had the welcome side effect of smaller crowds and, overall, delightfully fewer instances of pushing, shoving and being touched by strangers. Which I am learning is a privilege I have taken for granted back home (the not being touched by random people at random times. I often feel like a sardine here – we will walk 5km home to avoid the packed streetcar, but that’s another story for another day. Back to the pretties).
We didn’t buy anything from this market (applause, please, for the restraint we exercised), although I am tempted to buy some of Mester Borbala’s prints of Budapest, that feature abstracted city scenes mixed with Hungarian text.
I go weak in the knees for anything with text (exhibit A, exhibit B, exhibit C), and Hungarian text is just extra enticing (exhibit D). I still need some thinking time, though. Like I mentioned yesterday, Hungary & I have a history of bad decisions.
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| Parliament, Image from Mester’s Blog |
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| Image from Mester’s Blog |
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| The streetcar stop that takes us to the library; Image from Mester’s Blog |
Nemurinmuri:
At Nemurimuri, a market/installation (that was so wee, we almost walked right by), we did take the plunge and pulled out the Hungarian Forints. We each bought this cute print by Tascali David (“lesz” is a Hungarian word that sounds like “less” and the saying means, roughly, “it will be how it will be,” a spin on our “it is what it is” – which is an expression Hubby despises, so I only love this more).
Imagine a whole wall of quirky graphic art:
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| Photo Via |
I also bought this tote:
I desperately want a tote with Hungarian text (mmmm, text, text, text) but this saying was so perfect for me! Plus the tote is handmade in Hungary with a neat design twist: the bow snaps off and is interchangeable (I also have yellow, orange and brown bows!
I also loved these mint and gold bracelet by Juhos Janka, but they were a touch too pricey for me. Perhaps a thrift store bangle and some spray might have to suffice. I spy a DIY . . .
Now it’s back to work for me!!
That tote is awesome – I want to put that quote on a t-shirt. Words to live by, definitely (and I need to do a better job of it!). I love the abstract city prints too – looking for some new art for the house and I've been pining over abstract pieces on every site I stumble over, it seems. I'm a big fan of the "it is what it is" mantra too – I have a feeling you and I in the same room would be too much for both our hubbys… 😉
I am hoping the tote helps me adhere to that lifestyle more! I am also so in love with anything abstract(ed). Abstract art is so soothing to me. Haha. Yes, we would be too much for hubbys I think!
These images are fabulous! What kind of camera do you use? Nikon/Canon?
Thanks! For blog photos I normally use a Panasonic FZ-28. (I am skyping with Hubs and answering blog comments at the same time, and I asked him and he knew the type right away! It's kind of making me laugh).It is a really good camera: not too big, with a great "auto" setting plus good creative control. Nothing too fancy for my use but the photos still turn out really well. Occasionally I use a point and shoot camera I got because it was smaller and easier to carry but it is terrible. It is a Nikon, Cool Pix. It is the blurriest thing ever. Without a tripod, it is so difficult to take a good photo with it. I hate it but can't justify buying a new one until this dies.
Wow! The architecture in these photos is absolutely breath-taking! Especially that 3rd picture!
I wish the weather had been nicer. The sky just opened with torrential rain moments later, which is why the outside shots are a touch gloomy. But the inside is so bright and cheery – the walls are all textured and white. Each exhibit looks fresh and modern, even with antique objects. It was such a neat place for the market, too.
Oh wow it is just amazing!Gosh you are so lucky to go and experience all this.The art and structures. The design and interesting artists.I adore the bag you chose I am sure you will fix the bow :)I would have wanted to come home with so much, you are very good.Amy
Yay, praise! It has been hard not to buy stuff but the cost of living is much higher than I thought (and my suitcase is only so big) so we have had to be good. But, in a way, I've enjoyed exercising some restraint. I'm trying to be a smarter consumer. Trying.It has been nice to see and do interesting things. Not being new to the city, we don't feel compelled to see the real tourist attractions (we've seen them!) so it's been fun to experience more unusual things. Although I've missed out on things at home, so it's a trade off.