Debrecen4U January 23, 2026

MODEM 20: Dalí Exhibition, Global Partnerships, Birthday Passport, and Major Renovation Plans

Fifty-five years ago, Salvador Dalí was invited to depict men’s fashion of the 21st century by the internationally renowned textile brand Scabal.

At MODEM, these surrealist works will meet the creations of contemporary Hungarian fashion designers at the exhibition titled Time Mimicry, opening on February 21.

“The exhibit will feature six original works by Dalí while another six will appear as reproduced graphics. Inspired by these, extraordinary garments and fashion collections by outstanding Hungarian designers will arrive from the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts,” said Managing Director Katalin Vizi.

Time Mimicry will be the most significant exhibition of the 20-year-old MODEM this year. In addition, during the anniversary year, a project titled TRANSMAT will be launched, jointly implemented by the Debrecen museum and the FABER in Timișoara. The central theme is the construction industry, and the project also includes an artist-in-residence program and research.

“We want to share this knowledge in several forms. One of the main formats will be an exhibition featuring 12 new works, opening first in Timișoara in 2027 and later presented in Debrecen. At the same time, we want to offer a mediation program for the local audience, and we are also planning thematic city walks,” highlighted Krisztián Gábor Török, professional lead of project TRANSMAT.

MODEM has become one of the flagships of Debrecen’s cultural life, as stated by Mayor László Papp. He added that in order to preserve this role, the institution is expected to close its doors for 6 to 7 months, likely starting in November. During this period, its mechanical and lighting systems will be renovated using EU funding amounting to EUR 2.5 million.

“The systems that have been in operation over the past two decades can no longer meet the parameters required to bring truly major, large-scale exhibitions to MODEM. That is why this renovation is so important: its completion will once again open up possibilities for MODEM,” the mayor said.

In the next few months, a program titled 20 Years – 20 Encounters will also welcome visitors, who will earn a stamp in their MODEM passports with each visit and a gift for every fifth stamp.

Source and photo credit: dehir.hu