Hungaronoise, rabbit holes, metro lines
Published August, 2017
by Easterndaze
The new video called ‘Másik Hold’ (the Other Moon) by Budapest-based Gergő Ofner is an interesting, pseudo-political trip accompanied by another young Hungarian artist’s strong audio poem. The subway line no. 3 in the Hungarian capital has been subject to recent criticism due to errors in the renewal of retro-style cars, which has generated lot of discussion in a politically fragile Hungary. As Holt Lenszkij, the creator of the soundtrack, titles his own genre: ‘hungaronoise’, a label which can be interpreted at different levels, not only at a music one. Ofner’s video landscape is unique and one can say that in this video it develops into his own, mature style. Holt’s ‘noise’ is not noise actually, it’s more a carefully crafted abstract beat poem, which is very much in synch with the video. Másik Hold is a manifest of a young generation of creative Hungarian artists who try to use their unique audiovisual art to express and communicate criticism. We sent the guys some questions.
Can you talk about your background – what do you do?
Holt:
I’m a deep sea serpent in human form who exquisitely enjoys 80s disco hits. I also make ambient and not so-ambient noise tracks with my personal computer. Roadkill inspires me.
Gergő:
I work as a videographer. I quit film school after half a year and I got accepted to an art school here in Budapest just a few days ago, but I’m highly sceptical. I live with a black rabbit, and Holt lives with a black rabbit as well.
What was the motivations behind the “Masik Hold” video – and why the name Other Moon?
Holt:
We’re planning to build a second moon because the main one is too small for us. We encoded all the details in the video.
Gergő:
I work intuitively and like to improvise with video, and Holt is a performance artist as well, so it was evident for us that we’ll put him in front of the camera and see where that goes.
The video takes place on the controversial third line of the Budapest metro, as well as its subway. Why did you choose this environment?
Holt:
The 3rd line of the Budapest metro is my true home. I feel comfortable there. It’s amazing to inhale its atmosphere.
Gergő:
I’ve been using the metro line 3 for 21 years and I wanted to film it before the old and rusty subway cars are gone. The new subway cars are terrible, you can see too much detail on people’s faces with its lighting. I miss the graffiti too.
How did you make the video – and what role do the words/poetry play in the video?
Gergő:
Usually I prefer to stay at home therefore I shoot most of my videos at home. The images came to me, I didn’t have a say in it. I looked at the objects and the video was done.
Do you perceive this work as political – and in what way do young artists in Hungary come to terms with the current political (but also socioeconomic) situation?
Holt:
As an anarcho-individualist I don’t believe in politics personally. I’d eat anyone who wears a suit on a daily basis though. I’m planning to wear a suit myself, but only to achieve my final ouroboros physical state.
Gergő:
Most of the time I work alone or with one musician and I’m unable to keep track of all the amazing things young Hungarians create on a daily basis, so I can’t talk in anyone’s name, but I think it’s impossible to not have your art perceived as political in this shithole of a country we currently live in.
Holt, you call your soundtrack “Hungaronoise”. Why did you decide for this term?
Holt:
Hungaronoise is an ancient term used to describe sounds made by the members of The Danube Undergate. The Danube Undergate was the first underground society formed by Hungary-based shapeshifting sea serpent dark priests.
Intro + thanks: Peter Bokor http://www.mmmnmnm.com/