2025/04/07
Milan Design Week, one of the most prestigious design events globally, has begun, with the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) showcasing outstanding creators in the Hungarian creative industry under the Budapest Select umbrella brand for the fourth time. Between 7-13 April, in line with the 2025 theme, “Connected Worlds”, the VVoven View exhibition offers a comprehensive look at the best works of Hungarian product design and applied and fine arts, as well as the intertwining of traditions and innovation.
The Budapest Select – A VVoven View exhibition, held in the heart of the 5VIE quarter in Milan, showcases the diversity and depth of Hungarian design in three thematic spaces. Visitors can explore how artisan traditions, innovation, and perception converge in contemporary product design through 65 works by 24 Hungarian creators. The first space of the exhibition is built on a reinterpretation of natural materials and traditional techniques, followed by the section focusing on digital solutions, and then a transitional space where the two worlds are organically connected.
One of the most striking elements of the exhibition is the installation made of almost floating white paper sheets, symbolising the endless possibilities of creation. A dialogue between the designers and artificial intelligence fills the sheets with content, totalling 27 million characters – approximately forty times the length of War and Peace. This monumental quantity reflects not only on the possibilities and dangers of AI but also reminds us that the final decision always rests with the creator. While AI serves as an effective tool for the designer, the creative process is ultimately shaped by the designer’s awareness. Throughout the exhibition, red and white threads emphasise this idea, punctuating the infinite text while adding dynamism between theoretical knowledge and the objects created in practice. The term “vvoven”, thus, refers not only to artisan traditions but also to the convergence of different approaches, technologies, and cultures. Finally, the exhibition presents the character of contemporary Hungarian design as a unique new fabric, which is both experimental and respectful of traditions.
In addition to highlighting the aesthetic values of contemporary Hungarian design, the Budapest Select – A VVoven View exhibition sensitively addresses the challenges of our times, such as the question of responsible material use. Each element of the exhibition was created with an environmentally conscious approach: the floating paper sheets forming the installation and the EPS-based furniture are made from recycled and recyclable materials. After the exhibition, the entire system can be repurposed for other architectural uses, ensuring that the material choices align with the philosophy behind the objects.
The concept was realised through the collaboration of URBA Architectural Studio, Angéla Góg, and Barna Erdész. The team was selected for the implementation following their success in the open call for proposals announced by the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency. The curatorial intention and the architectural vision are closely connected to the philosophy of the exhibited objects: sustainability, interdisciplinarity, and innovative thinking are reflected in spatial organisation, material use, and narrative layers.
The selected objects reflect both local visual traditions and global socio-scientific issues such as sustainability, the human-machine relationship, and the future of sensory experience. The selection of objects is imbued with a contemporary fine arts and design perspective, which excellently reflects the diverse professional backgrounds of the jury: the selection was curated by Attila Ledényi, founder and director of the Art Market Budapest international fine arts fair, Judit Osvárt, editor-in-chief of ELLE Decoration magazine, and Dr Judit Horváth, head of the Contemporary Design Department at the Museum of Applied Arts.
© Creative Hungary. 2026. Minden jog fenntartva.
