The Edge of Mercury

The title of this exhibition refers to a space mission that has been ongoing for years and that aims to extend our knowledge of Mercury, the innermost and most mysterious planet in the solar system. The space probe that serves the scientific study of this celestial body was launched in 2018 and was originally scheduled to enter orbit around Mercury at the end of 2025. It has been travelling towards its goal for seven years so as to send us photos and other data from Mercury for the third time in the history of space exploration. The ancient Sumerians, Greeks and Romans were already observing the behaviour of the planet, which is visible to the naked eye from Earth, twice a day, at dawn and dusk. Since it moves fast, it was named after Mercury, the Roman equivalent of Hermes, the nimble-footed messenger of the Greek gods.

Revered as the patron of travellers and merchants, he is associated with the qualities of ingenuity, resourcefulness and persuasiveness. Apollo’s lyre was made by Hermes, who stretched strings over the empty shell of a tortoise. His mythology continued to be a rich source of inspiration in subsequent centuries, and the name is still widely used to brand trading companies, products and creativity toys. His attributes are the winged hat and sandals, which refer to his agility, and the kērúkeion (caduceus), the messenger’s staff entwined by two serpents and surmounted by wings, which symbolizes his spiritual power. Moving freely between the spheres of gods and humans, his figure is associated with the creation of balance and the reconciliation of antitheses at work in the world.

The way this exhibition interprets Mercury is informed by the dichotomy between the world that humans want to know and the human scale. The dimensional shifts and different scales are expressed through a wide variety of artworks and genres: paintings, sculptures, photographs, sound and video installations. In this curious context, the role of the artist, their genius, initiation, intellectual and spiritual power are also of more value. One of the most special exhibits is from the United States. After Nirvana, in which Viktor Lois synthesizes the experience of more than thirty years, is now on display in Hungary for the first time. As part of its debut, the artist will give two concerts, and a filmic portrait of him will be screened.