Finnish Artist serves up free money in Hungarian capital

A Finnish artist has opened a fake fast food restaurant in Budapest to highlight how the Hungarian government deals with homeless and poor people.

On first glance the building appears to be a Burger King, but the signs outside read “Hunger King.”

Anyone coming to the art installation has to choose between queuing outside in the ‘rich’ or ‘poor’ line.

The first 50 people in the ‘poor’ queue to go inside each day receive a burger box with 3400 forints, the equivalent of 11 euros, the minimum wage per day.

The rich get to walk along a red carpet and are served with a fake burger and chips.

Since last year, anyone sleeping rough in Hungary can be fined and eventually sent to prison.

Artist Jani Leinonen says he wants to show the stark difference between rich and poor in Hungary but that most cities around the world have similar issues.

“I’m not here to point the finger only on Hungary.” Leinonen said, adding “I think it’s a global problem. And I think Hungary just kind of depicts this global problem right now really well. I mean I could do this one in Helsinki or in Paris at the same time and it would work exactly the same.”

Leinonen said he also wanted to make the point that rich people can queue in the street outside an expensive shop for luxury products, but a homeless person could be kicked out from any street or square in Hungary.

The exhibition was well received by local homeless people.

One said: “We are on the streets. Prime Minister Orbán is up there in the Parliament. Nevermind, I don’t want to politicise.”

Another said: “I did come here because of the money. But as well as that I really like this whole thing.”

The Hunger King project lasts until 6 July.