Symphony in Colour at HAB: The Pécs School, from 11 September – Exhibition Guide
From 11 September to 15 November 2026, HAB (Hungarian Art and Business) presents Symphony in Colour: The Pécs School, works by thirty-two artists, from Victor Vasarely and Ilona Keserü to the Pécs painters of today. At Andrássy út 112, in the same building as Csók Bisztró.
Why put it in your autumn calendar?
After the summer graduate show, HAB now looks the other way: not at the youngest generation, but at an artistic tradition spanning seventy years. The exhibition marks the 30th anniversary of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Pécs, curated by Délia Vékony and József Bullás.
For two months, in a single building, you can trace how Pécs became one of the defining centres of Hungarian and Central European contemporary art from the second half of the 20th century. If Vasarely is the only name you have tied to the city so far, this show reveals the whole network of masters, students and parallel careers behind him.
What is the Pécs School?
The exhibition is built around one question: can we speak of a "Pécs School" as an artistic movement at all, and if so, what can we say about it?
The curators' answer: the Pécs School is neither an institution nor a uniform style. It is a network of connections you can recognise in hindsight: artists, mentors and students who, across several generations, think in similar ways about image, colour and form. Avant-garde traditions, a multidisciplinary approach and an experimental spirit were strongly present in Pécs even during the decades of Socialism, and the city did not just preserve them, it reinterpreted them.
The title Symphony in Colour refers to exactly this harmony: fine art, music and the other arts sounding together. Some of the exhibiting artists are closely tied to the School, others more loosely, and that openness is one of the show's most interesting claims.
Who is exhibiting?
Thirty-two artists, from the classics to contemporaries. The full list is on the HAB website; here are just a few names worth the trip on their own:
Victor Vasarely, the Pécs-born global star of op art
Ilona Keserü, one of the great colourists of Hungarian painting
Ferenc Martyn and Ferenc Lantos, the founding generation of Pécs abstraction
Sándor Pinczehelyi, István Bencsik, Sándor Rétfalvi
József Bullás, both exhibitor and curator
Colin Foster, Tibor Gyenis, Csaba Nemes, Dóra Palatinus, Péter Somody and more teachers and former students of the Faculty
So you do not get a single style, but the artistic language of a whole city, as it evolved over three or four generations.
When and where can you visit?
Address: HAB, home of Csók Bisztró too, 1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 112.
Dates: 11 September (Friday) to 15 November 2026 (Sunday)
Open: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday to Sunday 10am–6pm, Thursday 10am–8pm
Closed: Monday
Getting there: M1 metro, Bajza utca stop (2 minutes' walk), 6–7 minutes from Heroes' Square
Tip: pair it with a visit to us
HAB and Csók Bisztró share the same building. In two months there is bound to be a morning or a weekend when the two fit neatly side by side.
BEFORE the exhibition: come in for a coffee and a freshly baked, flaky butter croissant to get in the mood. Weekday mornings are quiet here, just the right pace for a show with this much to look at.
AFTER the exhibition: if you did the rounds in the morning, a hearty, colourful Csók brunch is waiting, from our four kinds of Eggs Benedict to pinsa. In September you can still sit out on our sunny, parasol-shaded Andrássy terrace with a homemade ice cream or a Jeges Csók (Ice Caramel Roll), and by November there is the heated igloo and Krisztián Varga's award-winning cakes with a hot coffee. We are open until 7pm. 😘💋
And since we are on the subject of colour: the rainbow staircase in our Spiral Room will look just as good in your photos after the show.
Frequently asked questions
How much is admission?
For up-to-date ticket information, see the official HAB website: arthab.hu.
How much time should I allow?
Thirty-two artists means a lot of work. At a comfortable pace you will get round in an hour to an hour and a half; if you like to linger over the details, two hours go by easily.
Can I bring children?
Yes. The bold colours, geometric shapes and Vasarely's optical games are exciting for little ones too, just keep a safe distance from the artworks.
Will it definitely be open when I go?
The opening hours above are the guide, but private events are frequently held at HAB. Check HAB's social media channels before you set off.
Should I book a table with you?
At weekends, definitely, brunch time gets busy. Tuesday to Friday mornings and early afternoons you will usually find a table on the spot. Booking: csokbudapest.hu/en/asztalfoglalas
Book a table, let's meet over a coffee
Official exhibition page: https://arthab.hu/en/symphony-in-colour/
Book a table with us: https://www.csokbudapest.hu/en/asztalfoglalas
Book a table before or after the exhibition: https://www.csokbudapest.hu/en/asztalfoglalas