Spinder, first visted Hungary in 1991 because of his interest in folk music and dancing. "Then, everyone was trying to get out of Eastern Europe and I was going in," He soon had a full-blown love affair with the region, and in 1995, moved to Budapest, where he has visited ever since. My first oppportunity to meet Stephen was when he was looking for a printing house to publish his first Hungarian moustache calander.
From the Author
Inspiration for this book project came when I first travelled to Eastern Europe to chase Hungarian folk dancing. I had always wanted to publish a book of my work. It never became more of a reality than when I arrived in the city and began to develop a network of friends, colleagues and professionals who have supported me from the beginning. I would like to thank so many people, who have, either directly or indirectly, been the true architects of this long-incubating publication: without their unselfish giving, relentless energy, and eternal patience in dealing with me, the artist, it could never have happened. To them I am greatly indebted.
From the Inside Flap
Budapest has always been a crossroads, a place where empires have come and gone, where have diverse cultures have intersected. In the early nineties after the political changes, many people came to visit. Others were sent by their parent companies and left upon completion of their contracts. Still others, looking for a place to go, somehow ended up here and found Budapest a cheap place to live with an abundant market for teaching English. For me, the reasons were none of the above. As a dancer, I had become fascinated with the syncopated rhtyhms, the improvisational boot-slapping and body-whacking, the strength of whirling women around, the machismo of traditional Hungarian folk dancing. When I saw it for the first time in America I remember saying, "Hey, that's how I dance now! What's it called?" I was invited to come and see the real thing - to Budapest and Transylvania.
About the Author
A well-travelled photographer originally from New York, Stephen Spinder has photographed the Gothic spires and neo-Classic facades of Budapest since 1991. Over the past decade, Spinder's limited edition black and white and color collections have become well-received in Europe and North America. Spinder has been photographing in Central Europe since the fall of Communism, when he first discovered the rich folk culture of Transylvania. His sensitive portrayal of village life and Hungarian tradition has led to commissioned work for the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office, the Budapest Tourism Office, embassies, ambassadors, international chambers of commerce, and numerous individuals. As a photojournalist he works for publications throughout the region.
With the overwhelming response to his Budapest book, the author is proud to announce the publication of a second title, about an even more passionate subject, "Ten Years In Transylvania,Traditions of Hungarian Folk Culture". Recent successes prove that interest in the rich Hungarian folk culture is alive.
