Intellectual innovation and intersections – The Moholy-Nagy Award 2023 is coming up

Date: 2023.11.14
What is the link between Albert László Barabási, Krisztina Passuth, Dieter Rahms, and Pál Frenák? Beyond their outstanding cultural contribution, they are connected by the Moholy-Nagy Award, of which they are the holders along with 14 of their peers. Since 2006, the award is presented each year to an individual whose outstanding artistic, research, or creative activity is founded on the same values as those of the university and its eponym.

In 2006, the university adopted the name of László Moholy-Nagy, and on the initiative of former rector Gábor Kopek, the Moholy-Nagy Award was established. The recognition serves to communicate the still-relevant thoughts and ideals of Moholy-Nagy, one of the leading lights of the Bauhaus movement, to figures in Hungarian and international art and academic scene, setting his ethos as a model for future generations to follow.

The award recipients and the university community are connected through creativity, integrative thinking, intellectual innovation, and responsibility. So who are they after all?

Moholy-Nagy Award winners include archaeologist and art historian Hattula Moholy-Nagy, art philosopher Hannes Böhringer, art historian Krisztina Passuth, curator Karole P. B. Vail, and art historian Olivér Botár. They are also linked by their contribution to raising awareness of the significance of Moholy-Nagy’s oeuvre, and improving understanding of its influence on contemporary culture. This helped preserve the legacy of the university’s eponym, and in turn, build MOME’s intellectual base.

Laureates include several groundbreaking professors previously teaching at MOME’s predecessor, including architect and interior designer István Gergely, music historian Imre Földes, architects Zsófia Csomay and Péter Reimholz, product designers Stefan Lengyel and Ernő Rubik. Throughout their decades-long teaching career they have nurtured generations of designers, enacted education reforms, and made significant contributions to transcending the boundaries of art fields and gaining acceptance for interdisciplinary thinking, as demonstrated by physicist and network researcher Albert-László Barabási, choreographer Pál Frenák, graphic designer Kálmán Tibor, poet and literary translator Ádám Nádasdy, trombonist László Gőz, and director Balázs Kovalik. Their critical and responsible thinking is exemplary for the MOME community.

In 2023, another artist of similar calibre will receive the award – stay tuned for further updates. 

More news

The first guest of the Q&Alumniof series is Anna Tőkés, MOME Animation alumna, who has recently participated in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival with her diploma film titled “The Last Drop.” In this episode, you can learn more about Anna’s experience at our university, her favourite memories of her time spent on campus, and even about her secret talents.

In the first written feature of our Q&Alumni series, we spoke with jewellery designer Patrícia Harsány, a 2021 graduate of the MOME Jewellery and Metal Design MA programme. She shared her reflections on student life – from the vibrancy of life in the halls of residence and the warmth of university communities to collaborative projects that still influence her practice today. Since graduating, Patrícia has remained an active contributor to both her field and the life of the university, with projects spanning from Milan to Zugligeti Road. We caught up with her to hear more about those adventures – and what continues to inspire her.

MOME ANIM took centre stage at the renowned Annecy International Animation Film Festival and MIFA Market on 8–14 June, where Hungary was the guest of honour. MOME’s vibrant animation community showcased its globally acclaimed education through student films, film concepts, installations, and industry-led talks.
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