Established in 1955, the scholarship relies on the same, unaltered principle: to help talented artists under 35 at the beginning of their career, to foster their artistic development. Out of applicants who in recent years have numbered almost two hundred, a jury of artists and art historians selects ten for the annual grant of the Ministry of Education and Culture. A year later, a review exhibition is held where they present their achievements: based upon the degree of progress in their work programme, they may be entitled to another year of support, or lose the allowance.
Over the years, the scholarship has been repeatedly criticized for the selection criteria (how the available funds are apportioned among graphic artists, painters, sculptors and intermedia artists), the identity of the awardees (why X, and why not Y, where Y = “me”), the alleged lack of impartiality on the part of jury members, especially academy instructors thought to be lobbying for their own students. The value of the monthly allowance, whether it can provide a livelihood, is also often questioned. As for this year’s exhibitors, most of them are already permanent fixtures in the local scene, are associated with private galleries, have had exhibitions at reputable places, have received, or are nominated for, prestigious awards, and some have even found recognition internationally.
While selecting the awardees is never an easy task, there can be little doubt that this year’s “Derkó” exhibition is as solid in quality as it is diverse in genres and subjects—the best show in fact we have seen for a very long time (or maybe ever).
1st year:
Ádám Albert, Márta Czene, István Csákány, Ágnes Dóra Dénes, Marcell Esterházy, Marianna Fa, János Fodor, Gábor Fülöp, László Hatházi, Roland Horváth, Lilla Khoór, Rita Koralevics, Eszter Sipos
2nd year:
Róbert Batykó, Lili Cseh, Dániel Horváth, Tibor Horváth, Csaba Kis Róka, Krisztián Kristóf, Anikó Erzsébet Loránt, Balázs Pintér, Beatrix Judit Szörényi, Hajnalka Tarr
3rd year:
Zsolt Asztalos, Róbert Borsos, Judit Fisher, Barbara Follárd, Miklós Mécs, Sándor Szász, Zsolt Tibor