Matató, The studio workshop of Cholnoky Zsófia in Budapest.
Y’all have told us you want to hear more about our travel experiences and get some travel trips. We like to deliver. First up on our Travel Shorts? Matató. Spotted this shop while walking around the Castle Hill area in Budapest. The super cute storefront – featuring a logo made up of scissors cutting a sheet of paper – was callin’ my name. A closer look at the signage and I discovered that all the letters and logo were cut out of paper! Super lo-fi, super ah-maz-ing and so in love. Made my way in and learned that the space is not a retail shop. It’s a super awesome studio/workshop space run by Cholnoky Zsófia.
Cholnoky was in the space working on a project and let me hang around to chat her up and snap photos. And truthfully, there was no way I was gonna leave that space without taking photos of of her AMAZING equipment. She runs bookmaking and bindery classes in the evening, and all projects are made the old-school way (more Old-School Fresh from Hungary… lovin’ it). Mad amounts of love and equipment dating way, way back. Iron bookbinding presses, ginormous paper cutters and a whole gang of equipment that I’ve only seen in museums!
Feelin’ like a kid in a candy shop – I couldn’t stop handling all the different types of papers and checking out the tools and equipment. Cholnoky noticed my interest and started to share pieces that she made and others made by students. I loved everything and wanted to buy something, everything. But nothing in the studio was for sale! No worries, though – Cholnoky gave me a small gift that an older student made. A compact and tricked out fold-up map of Budapest. Hardcover case with a braided elastic tie. So lovely and made with a whole lotta love.
As I was getting ready to leave, I asked Cholnoky about the hand-painted “Stay Here” sign below the storefront window. She explained that the space used to be an art gallery, and the gallery had an ongoing window display that you could view when you planted your feet in the marked spot. Cholnoky saw no reason to get rid of it. I walked by the studio a few more times during our trip to Budapest and every time I walked by, I always planted my feet in the marked spot and peered into the magical space.
