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Exhibition pays tribute to Rochester's "56ers"
Stories and crafts connect Hungarians to their heritage
Forty-five years ago, Rochester welcomed a sudden wave of new citizens from Hungary. The Gallery at One Bausch and Lomb is the site of the Arts and Cultural Council for Greater Rochester's exhibition paying tribute to Rochester's Hungarians. "The Magyar Among Us" summarizes Hungary's culture and history, with emphasis on the revolution of 1956.
"The Magyar Among Us: Rochester's Hungarian Community," is open daily from February 1 - March 31, 2001. A public reception at the Gallery is scheduled for February 22 from 5:30 until 7 pm.
"Most members of our local Hungarian community came here in the wake of the 1956 revolution," notes Arts & Cultural Council folklorist, Peter Voorheis, curator of the exhibition. "We don't want people to forget the heroic struggle they undertook in their homeland and the risks they took getting to America."
The exhibition grew out of research conducted by community scholar Eniko Farkas of Ithaca, who participated in the revolution. Since then, she has become a skilled embroiderer and authority on the subject.
The exhibition includes accounts, collected by Farkas, by ten local Hungarians describing their experiences in the revolution and their perilous escapes across a border sealed by Soviet troops.
Also featured are twenty embroideries of various sizes and regional styles, either made or collected by local Hungarians. "Hungarians are especially noted around the world for their intricate embroideries," says Voorheis. "The tradition goes back at least a thousand years." Making or collecting embroideries has been one way the "56ers" remain connected to their native culture.
"The Magyar Among Us" is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Other sponsors include the New York State Council on the Arts, the Hungarian-American Club of Rochester, and the Embassy of Hungary in Washington.
For additional information about the "Magyars Among Us," contact the Arts & Cultural Council, 716-473-4000 ext. 207.
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