This our Budapest Contemporary Art Pulse tour

"I am a huge fan of art, the meditations of art history, and generally curious about the culture and accomplished artists in the local scene of any destination that I travel to. Local avant garde, fashion, sculpture, and designer handicrafts are inspiring and allowed for my brain to digest the cultural history absorbed from a traditional tourist agenda...







One of the things on my main agenda was discovering the Budapest art scene. Budapest Underguide is a local collective that specializes in customized private tours for people who are interested in gaining a introspective and steadfast look at Budapest’s past, present, and future. Upon booking, I immediately received a detailed questionnaire that asked me about what my personal interests in art and my hobbies in order to get a better sense what I wanted to discover about the city.

Our charming guide, Orsi came to meet me with a huge grin and an unexpected Hungarian chocolate in hand (Yum!). After chatting and sharing our agenda of the “Budapest Contemporary Art Scene Private Tour,” we walked along the Falk Miksa utca, the central location for most of the antique shops and art galleries in Budapest. We had a full schedule of local galleries, cafes, and stores queued, catering to every modicum of the local art world and culture. We covered an unbelievable amount of ground, hence I have decided to share only my personal favorites and highlights of the tour:

Our first stop, the Kortárs Galéria, left quite an impression on me. On the walls hung paintings from Hungarian artists Judith Nem and Vera Molnar, as well as Swiss and honorary Hungarian artist Hans Jörg Glattfelder who in collaboration, were part of an exhibition titled “Négyzet a Négyzeten.” The title refers to squares on squares and the dexterity of parallel dimensions. The collection surveyed the terrain and character “lines” one would find in the book, “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions” by Abbott.

An artist’s most beloved hangout besides a studio or gallery is more often than not a cafe. Orsi knew the local art cafe hotspot. At Printa Cafe, my senses were able to appreciate the taste of some of the best espresso I have sipped in Europe. They order their roasts from the praised “The Coffee Collective,” and pour espresso shots from a La Marzocco machine. They serve other caffeinated gold cup by cup: brewed, syphoned, french press, and pour over methods. It reminded me of one of my favorite coffee houses back home in San Francisco, named Philz, which was a temporary remedy for the homesick bug while out traveling. A big part of art culture is tied to coffee house culture, and Printa represented the perfect marriage between the two. While sipping on coffee, I was able to wander to a small room where they had a small exhibition of neighborhood screen prints and browsed handmade unique souvenirs, all made from recycled materials.

Hungarian Hipster Shoes: Tisza Cipő

While at Printa, I came across a glossy ad for Tisza Cipö (Cipö = shoes in Hungarian), a brand of Hungarian sport shoes that were popular during the Communist era that have made a comeback among the Hipster community. Their designs are classic and are as colorful as a crayon box, so naturally, I desperately needed a pair. Orsi took the lead and showed the way to the store, which happened to be on the way to another gallery! Perfect! New kicks in tow, we headed off to look at more beautiful art.

The Prestige Gallery, demonstrated the intellectual sharpness and quality of contemporary and world-renowned Hungarian artists. This is the only artist operated and owned gallery in the entire city and it was a certainly a treat. Orsi guided us through the histories of each of the artists, and even took me to a special room in the back with hidden gems assembled into a colorful mosaic. I was able to sift through bookshelves and read about the artists I was curious about. Orsi helped translate and also shared her personal favorites.

Budapest Underguide was accommodating, extremely flexible, and my guide Orsi was friendly and definitely went the extra mile. She was intimate and shared her favorite things about Budapest, all while making sure that the tour fit to my individual taste. Along the way to each art destination, she made sure to explain the historical significance of important sights. Next time I go back to Budapest, I can’t wait to try another one of their private tours.

Written by Tara Meyer for Get Your guide

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