A Finnish artist has opened a fake fast food restaurant in Budapest to highlight how the Hungarian government deals with homeless and poor people. <br /><br />On first glance the building appears to be a Burger King, but the signs outside read “Hunger King.” <br /><br />Anyone coming to the art installation has to choose between queuing outside in the ‘rich’ or ‘poor’ line.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />The rich get to walk along a red carpet and are served with a fake burger and chips.<br /><br />Since last year, anyone sleeping rough in Hungary can be fined and eventually sent to prison.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />“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.”<br /><br />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.<br /><br />The exhibition was well received by local homeless people. <br /><br />One said: “We are on the streets. Prime Minister Orbán is up there in the Parliament. Nevermind, I don’t want to politicise.”<br /><br />Another said: “I did come here because of the money. But as well as that I really like this whole thing.”<br /><br />The Hunger King project lasts until 6 July.
