Sub-accounts of the Kistarcsa Cultural Association Application for identification number GRLP-2010-51

The application announced in the frame of the Longlife Learning Program of Grundtvig Learning Connection Project, announced by the European Committee, won by the application with identification number GRLP-2010-51, entitled The European Ceramic and Mosaic from Traditions to Innovations with which the Kistarcsa Cultural Association gained support jointly with Greek and Italian partners. At the time of application submission, there were French and Turkish organisations among the partners as well, but they did not get into the supported ones.

We had already handed in the application for the second time when we received the support. Before the first trial, two members of our association had made a preparatory visit at the co-ordinator organisation. We covered the expenses of the trip from our own resources because we felt it necessary to get closer insights into the topic which had never been among our activities before.

The implementation plan of the project which started on 1st August, 2010, had to be modified because of the two refused partners. We held the first meeting at the co-ordinator working in the Greek city, Giannitsa, in which a Hungarian and an Italian leader took part, too. The participants of the Greek course were also invited to a community evening to allow others to gain some insight into other nations’ ceramic and mosaic culture through their presentations. We made a program plan, which incorporated the activities and mobility of the different countries, with the coordination of the local organisers.

We started the activation in our homeland with announcing ceramic and mosaic courses. We involved those interested into the first national event organised by us, in the beginning of January, 2011 when we had twelve Greek and six Italian guests who arrived at us by reason of the project to get to know the Hungarian ceramic and mosaic traditions and current trends in museums and workshops in Hungary. At the occasion of a public, announced evening, they presented their work in front of a wide audience.

In February, we had a video conference with the two foreign partners. To this event, we invited those who were potential participants of the planned courses and the chosen instructors. The future Greek students also took part in it but in the case of Italians, just the leader and the instructor of the organisation presented, as they did not have students that time. The experts made their applied techniques known and they also showed some sample objects in all three countries. The more than one-hour discussion was followed by the negotiation between the instructors and the future students. Some of them applied for a concrete activity, while others chose from the ceramic and mosaic courses depend on which of the appointments was suitable for them.

Both courses started in March. You could find a young, graduate as well as a pensioner among them. All threw themselves into the new knowledge with great enthusiasm. Products, one more beautiful than the other, were being created one after the other. On one occasion, some members of our association visited the mosaic course. It was said there that those pieces should have been shown to others as well. So that, the splendour products of both courses were presented in a common exhibition which took place in the frame of the Kistarcsai Napok, organised in the second half of May. There were several relatives and acquaintances of the students among the visitors, who could not stop wondering that those many beautiful artefacts were made by those people living among us. Sometimes, even the students themselves could hardly believe that they were capable for that.

In the beginning of June, we organised a trip for contemplating mosaics, which was visited by the participants of the course and the instructor but others interested also joined. We realised the all-day long program with a rented bus. Our first station was at the Madárdombi Szent Pál Templom where the huge mosaic situated in the crypt was presented by the creator, Norbert Bukta himself. The artist joined us almost till the end of the tour, who provided us with lots of useful information as well as the tour guide, our fellow member.

Other objects which were seen: National Graveyard, Grashem Palace, Saint Stephen Basilica, Róth Miksa Museum, Széchenyi Bath. On our way, several opportunities presented themselves to discover some beautiful mosaics which can be seen at the upper part of the buildings, so they are scarcely noticed by pedestrians.

Towards the end of June, we fulfilled our Italian partner’s invitation with a Greek group consisted of thirteen members. The delegation of six students, a tutor and a leader made a study trip at La Meridiana organisation works in Certaldo. Besides the cultural programs related to the project, we had the opportunity to become acquainted with and try out several methods applied in ceramics, such as the terra sigillata, the most typical one among them.
Using this technique, a common product was made, namely, a three-meter tall and thirty-centimetre diameter totem pole, on which the main motif is a twisting, cylinder-projected version of a well-known Etruscan statuette.
As all leaders of the three groups presented, we could discuss our further duties in connection with the project.