by Emma Brown
In 1997, the National Arts Centre received a donation of bronze busts of Hungarian composers Béla Bartók and Zoltan Kodály sculpted by state-funded Hungarian artist Pál Pátzay. After accepting the donation and hosting a reception to celebrate the donation of the busts, the NAC received backlash from Hungarian-Canadians for supporting and celebrating an artist funded by the Soviet-linked Hungarian Communist Party, whose oppressive politics many Hungarians fled to begin anew in Canada.
These busts were moved from their displays to storage at the National Arts Centre years ago during renovations. However, the question remains of how and if these busts can be displayed to celebrate and honour to contributions of the composers they memorialize made to the realms of ethnomusicology and music education without invalidating the trauma many Hungarian-Canadians faced under the Hungarian Communist Party before fleeing to Canada. This exhibit tells the story of these 2 busts from their creation by Hungarian sculptor Pàl Pàtzay under the rule of the Hungarian Communist Party to the donation of these busts to the National Arts Centre. It also discusses why the display of these busts might be hurtful to Hungarian-Canadians and reflects on how these busts may be displayed more appropriately.