The Capa Grand Prize Hungary is annually awarded to a photographer who works in any branch of photography, has been established professionally, and demonstrates a proven track record of outstanding talent. The Capa Center established the prize to emphasize its commitment to the creation of new artworks that enrich our society. The fellowships and the prize aim at furthering the development of the artists, and encouraging their future experimentation.
Krisztina Szalay was the fellowship-winner of the Capa Grand Prize Hungary 2020.
Krisztina Szalay: Made in China
The diversity of the place, which many people simply call the Chinese market, is remarkable compared to Hungarian conditions; there is a cultural cavalcade at the former Ganz factory plant, which now is also notoriously surrounded by a criminally dangerous merchant environment. A city inside the city came into existence here, which operates completely segregated.
About thirty years ago, due to the relaxed visa requirements, the Chinese community in Hungary grew from almost zero to about twenty-seven thousand people in just a few years. The location of my work is the Chinese market in Budapest (Kőbányai Street), which is also the center of the Hungarian Chinese community. Locals have always had second thoughts about the market because in the media it is often connected to illegal imports or raids but, at the same time, it also provides a good opportunity to buy cheaper products.
The National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary constantly monitors the market, but to no avail as it is practically impossible to catch anyone in the act of committing a crime. Although nowadays not only Chinese people work here but also Vietnamese, Mongolian, Romanian, Afghan, Turkish, and Ukrainian workers, the name Chinese market has remained.
With an industrial exterior left behind from the Ganz factory period, the place is permeated by a strong sense of Chinese culture and marketatmosphere, all planted in an Easter European milieu.
The presentation of Krisztina Szalay
Selection from the photos of the series Szalay Krisztina: Made in China
The Winner of Capa Grand Prize Hungary 2020: Barnabás Neogrády-Kiss.
Dániel Halász was the fellowship-winner of the Capa Grand Prize Hungary 2020.
The Capa Grand Prize Hungary 2020 exhibition is free to visit until November 29, 2020 at Capa Center.