Budapest exhibition on homeless women closed after vandalism

An outdoor exhibition in Budapest titled ‘Speaking Images – The Voice of Homeless Women’ has been forced to close following two separate acts of vandalism. The exhibition, located on the Pest embankment between the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial, featured photographs taken by women living in homelessness to share their personal experiences and perspectives.

The first incident occurred shortly after the August 24 opening, involving broken partitions and torn images. Organizers initially repaired the display and extended its run through mid-September. However, a second, more severe attack on September 5 resulted in widespread destruction of the photographs and displays, leading organizers to dismantle the exhibition permanently.

Politician András Jámbor criticized the acts, describing the vandals as ‘senseless’ and noting the suspicious timing of the repeated attacks on this specific subject. The exhibition was part of an international Erasmus+ project aimed at highlighting the complexities of female homelessness, including domestic violence and social resilience.