Being a freelancer or having a small company in the cultural and creative sector can feel like swimming against the current. Big fish eats the small fish or at least leaves no ‘project crumbs’ for the rookie. All home office days are like squirming on the beach not to mention that it’s not only the client who sees the speck in the artists’ eyes but vice versa. And what is more it seems to pay day never comes, but sometimes contracting doesn't either. Business is hard to come by but hope dies last that someday, we will be the goldfish from whom only three modifications are requested.
The goal of the project is to create an online exhibition that reflects the phenomena of the creative scene with the cooperation of artists, to start a discourse on the daily struggles of freelancing, to bring the members of different areas closer together as well as to shed light on how cultural project management can aid designers. The challenges are very real and can take many shapes but they can also be mended, if the general patterns become visible and part of the public discourse. And maybe one day, freelancers can live like fish in the sea.
The exhibited materials are still or moving pictures, GIFs, animations which were produced by members of the creative sector. The participants could choose from 50 predetermined themes but they could also construct new ideas. There were topics on the list such as acquiring new clients, impossible deadlines, asking for modifications at night or during the weekend, know-it-all clients, indecipherable briefs or the concept of home office. The mode of visual execution was not set, the contributors were only asked to remember to refer to the exhibition’s title.
There are some amongst the nearly 40 participants who have been freelancing for quite some time now, but there are pieces that were created by young designers at the beginning of their careers and some others were conceived by university students. All designs are unique and reflect their maker’s style who is affected by the topic either because of its actuality or because it appears in their lives quite frequently.
The exhibition can be browsed at Balka’s website, the contact information about the artists is made available by clicking on their artworks. The event was part of the official Design Week Budapest 2020 program.
PARTICIPANTS
Exhibitors: Zsófia Bányai ~ Tamara Bella ~ Atos Bencsik ~ Aliz Borsa ~ Kinga Covaciuné Czuczor ~ Zoltán Debreczeni ~ Gita Elek ~ Szandra Farkas ~ Hanga Fejős ~ Saci Gázmár ~ Áron Huszlicska ~ Hajnalka Illés ~ Csenge Kalmár ~ Zóra Kondor ~ Adél Kovács ~ Zsófia Láposi ~ Mátyás Locsmándi ~ Petra Lilla Marjai ~ Dániel Marton ~ Gábor Mészáros - game4d ~ Nikoletta Mihalik ~ Alíz Moldovan and Tamara Dózsa - Studio Oneperone ~ Kata Moravszki ~ Péter Morvai ~ Bence Musinszky ~ Máté Gergő Muszka ~ Aliz Nagy ~ Anna Prakfalvi ~ Alíz Stocker ~ Izabella Szabó ~ Réka Anna Szakály ~ Eszter Szőcs and Kriszti Szepes - Slag Kollektíva ~ Bernadett Tihon ~ Rita Vándor ~ Dóra Visky ~ Zoltán Visnyai ~ Judit Zengővári
Organizer: Balka
Graphic Design: Compact Studio
BALKA
Balka provides personalized project management services for professionals of the creative and cultural sphere (freelancers, companies, foundations, organisations and institutions) to achieve their short- and medium-term goals. Whether it is increasing visibility and branding; boosting sales and the number of customers or visitors; developing campaigns and strategies; finding resources, arranging equipment or supporting collaborations to happen; realizing events or creating a visual identity, we are here to help.
Website: https://www.balkacreative.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balkacreative
Instagram: https://instagram.com/balkacreative/
IMAGE TITLES
Zsófia Bányai - graphic designer, animation director - No problem
Tamara Bella - illustrator, animator - Gold Fish’s Fixation
Atos Bencsik - graphic designer, motion designer - Keep Yo Cool
Kinga Covaciuné Czuczor - graphic designer - The Shower Break of the Designer who Become One with her Computer
Zoltán Debreczeni - animation director, illustrator - Mental Breakdown
Gita Elek - graphic designer - Procrastination (Halogatás in Hungarian)
Szandra Farkas - animator, sound designer: Sinkó Bori - Space
Hanga Fejős - graphic designer - Panic
Saci Gázmár - graphic designer - Herring Party
Áron Huszlicska - graphic designer, illustrator - Deadline
Hajnalka Illés - graphic designer - ASAP
Csenge Kalmár - graphic designer - Insignificant Small Detail
Zóra Kondor - graphic designer, illustrator, brand designer - Free Stock Designer
Adél Kovács - illustrator - Customers’ Comments
Zsófia Láposi - graphic designer - Life is a Beach
Mátyás Locsmándi - graphic designer - When the Phone Vibrates
Petra Lilla Marjai - illustrator, animator- Burnt out Freelancer Dreaming about Matisse
Dániel Marton - graphic designer - Just 5 Minutes
Gábor Mészáros - game4d - graphic designer - ASAP
Nikoletta Mihalik - graphic designer, illustrator - Customers who Know Everything about Everything
Alíz Moldovan, Tamara Dózsa - Studio Oneperone - graphic designers - Money vs. Portfolio
Kata Moravszki - graphic designer, illustrator - ASAP
Péter Morvai - graphic designer - Fish Wish
Bence Musinszky - illustrator, animator - Contract
Máté Gergő Muszka - graphic designer, illustrator - v8th_finalfinal
Aliz Nagy - graphic designer - Magic Glasses
Anna Prakfalvi - graphic designer - Panic
Alíz Stocker - illustrator, graphic designer - Can You Make the Logo Bigger?
Izabella Szabó - graphic designer, illustrator - Busy Days Ahead
Réka Anna Szakály - illustrator - Chill
Eszter Szőcs, Kriszti Szepes - Slag Kollektíva - graphic designers - 10 Hours of Powerful Detox Music
Bernadett Tihon - graphic designer - Error
Rita Vándor - graphic designer - Constant Changes
Dóra Visky - graphic designer, motion designer - Can Humans Multitask?
Zoltán Visnyai - graphic designer - Am I Already There?
Judit Zengővári - illustrator - Hopes Die Last
Aliz Borsa - graphic designer, typographer - Looking for a Job
text on the work:
#1 you have fantastic works
you would definitely be in the front row, but....
#2 your works are wonderful, we are completely impressed
unfortunately you were not in
#3 we would love to work with you
we didn't choose you
# mydreamsaregettingfartherandfarther # overqualified
#notenough #likefishinthesea #Iwouldwork #don’tgiveup #butithurts
More information here.
