Cultural Attaché Opens Maritime Paintings Exhibit at Budapest American Corner

December 3, 2009

Cultural Attaché John Balian, Artist Georgina Nemethy and guests viewing a rendering of the Mayflower at the opening of the exhibition.

Embassy Cultural Affairs Officer John Balian opened the exhibit of maritime paintings entitled “Ships of Glory” by the Hungarian-American artist Georgina Nemethy on December 3 in the lobby outside of the Budapest American Corner located in the Salt House building of Corvinus University. The well attended event was organized on the occasion of the American Thanksgiving holiday.

Mr. Balian introduced the artist who is an internationally renowned marine and landscape painter, mostly recognized for her Hudson River Valley scenes. Her favorite subjects are the steamships of a past age depicted in all their detail and glory. Flora Csontos, one of the interns at the Budapest Corner presented the historical background of the holiday and revealed that one of the passengers on the Mayflower, the pilgrim ship depicted in two paintings at the exhibition, was a distant relative of hers.

American Corner Director Erika Sólyom quoted President Obama’s Thanksgiving Proclamation: “What began as a harvest celebration between European settlers and indigenous communities nearly four centuries ago has become America’s cherished tradition of Thanksgiving.”