The Art of Donation
In 1997, the NAC received an offer of donation from two music lovers in Ottawa. Mr. and Mrs. Odon and Yvonne Panek offered the NAC a donation of two busts of exceptionally important figures in the fields of ethnomusicology and music education, composers Béla Bartok and Zoltan Kodàly (Unknown author Ottawa Citizen 1997, D4). These busts were sculpted by one of Hungary’s most prolific and celebrated sculptors, Pál Pátzay. The NAC graciously accepted this donation, celebrating it with a ceremony celebrating both the composers and Hungarian culture with the inclusion of a concert and a performance of traditional Hungarian dance in traditional dance costumes (Unknown author 1997). Despite extensive research on the history of the artist whose works they had been donated, the NAC was surprised to learn that some Hungarian-Canadians had ethical concerns surrounding the display and celebration of Pál Pátzay’s artwork (Various authors 1997).
At the time of the donation, the NAC was aware of Pál Pátzay’s ties to the Hungarian Communist Party, a regime that many Hungarians fled. However, the acceptor of donations at the time believed that art and politics should be held at arms-length (Various authors 1997). As they believed that the cultural contributions of Bartok and Kodàly to Hungarian musical culture and music education deserved the be celebrated, the NAC was surprised to receive a note from a Hungarian-Canadian living in Ottawa expressing disdain at their celebration of this artwork. This concerned citizen, who was unnamed in the NAC’s correspondences, was appalled at the acceptance of a donation of artwork that was very likely to have been produced for the Hungarian Communist Party and even went so far as to state that Kodàly would never have agreed to be sculpted by a member of the Communist Party (Various authors 1997). Thus, a conversation began between staff members of the NAC that raised many questions about these busts that need to be addressed.
Who is Pál Pátzay? Should these busts be displayed? What should be done with donations with controversial pasts?