Cultural Studies paper by Corbett, Joyce Berczik
Mingei International Museum

"It's Not Enough To Have Talent": Hungarian Women Emigré Designers

Type of Abstract (select):

Abstract (max. 250 words):
During the first half of the 20th century, many Hungarians from the professional communities such as science and the arts emigrated to the United States. The catastrophic events following following WWI, WWII and the Hungarian Revolution caused such a transformational dislocation in society, that normal professional life became impossible. Many of these emigres worked in creative fields of film, art, writing, and music. The dominance of Hungarians in the film industry in the 1930’s and 40’s was reflected in an often quoted sign posted on a director’s door:” It’s not enough to be Hungarian, one must also have talent”. Another director wryly turned it around and said “it’s not enough to have talent, one must also be Hungarian”.

A look at any list of famous Hungarian émigrés active in the arts will invariably show that the most of the entries will be men. In fact, very few women are ever included, aside from a few screen actresses,. A question can then be asked, is it possible that there were no Hungarian émigré women active in the arts? If there were, who were they and where were they?

This paper will highlight some of the best known women artists and designers from post WWI to the present. Born into an era of great turmoil, these women were able to transcend circumstance and build very successful professional lives. Women who will be discussed are:Illonka and Mariska Karasz, Sibyl Moholy-Nagy,, Evelyn Harasty, Evelyn Domjan and Eva Zeisel.



Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Joyce Berczik Corbett is a research scholar specializing in the decorative arts and folk art of Central Europe, She has curated exhibitions at Mingei International Museum, San Diego, CA and Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA including: "Between East and West: Folk Art Treasures of Romania" (2010-2011)(co-authored catalog), Hungarian Folk Magic: the Art of Joseph Domjan" (2008)(directed documentary video accompanying exhibition), "Eva Zeisel: Extraordinary Designer Craftsman at 100” (2006-2007) traveled to the Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles. CA. (2007) “Dowry: Eastern European Painted Furniture, Textiles and Folk Art” (1999)(co-authored catalog). She is on the International Advisory Board of Mingei International Museum, San Diego, CA. She authored the chapter “Central European Embroidery” for the exhibition catalog: “Resplendent Dress from Southeastern Europe, Fowler Museum at University of California Los Angeles, (2013). She received an M.F.A in Art History and Studio Art, from the University of Washington, Seattle, where she held a Woodrow Wilson Scholarship. She has received IREX (International Research and Exchanges Board) research grants for Romania and Hungary and was a Fulbright Research Scholar to Hungary and the Slovak Republic.