15.10\u201315.12.2013 \/ Opening: 14.10.2013<\/p>\n
Although Romani people live among us, there are a lot of issues that divide us. Most of all, it is our<\/p>\n
perception of the mentioned ethnically-foreign co-inhabitants. Their presence is real, and yet they<\/p>\n
remain absent \u2013 ignored and hated. The exhibition presents, among others, the collection of clich\u0450<\/p>\n
representations: etchings, photographs and paintings (from 19th to 20th century), which reflect<\/p>\n
orientalising and stereotypical image of the Romanies and their existence in Polish art. We have not yet<\/p>\n
passed through this stage \u2013 for years neither Polish artists nor theorists have altered the already developed<\/p>\n
iconographic models. \u2018 . . . the colonising act of European majorities toward the Roma, is the most visible<\/p>\n
and evident.\u2019 (Timea Junghaus).<\/p>\n
The exhibition focuses on the notion of \u2018Gypsiness\u2019. As it turns out, we have difficulties in comprehending<\/p>\n
the mechanism of reproduction of the Roma\u2019s identity. What does \u2018Gypsiness\u2019 mean for Poles? How has<\/p>\n
the stereotypical image of a Gypsy been shaped? And how have the Roma themselves shaped their own<\/p>\n
image by adjusting it to the expectations of others as an adaptation strategy? Is it possible to capture the<\/p>\n
truth about this particular ethnic minority from the above notions? What vestiges of colonial domination<\/p>\n
can be discerned here? To what principles and characteristics have the \u2018imitators\u2019 \u2014 bohemian artists or<\/p>\n
New Gypsies \u2013 related? How significant \u2014 and disastrous sometimes \u2014 has the perpetuation of these worn<\/p>\n
clich\u00e9s been? \u201cWhere sober policy texts steer away from dangerous stereotypes with just a few warning<\/p>\n
words about prejudices, this exhibition steers slap-bang for the middle of the stereotypes, revelling in their<\/p>\n
kitsch contradiction of the sober norm. \u2018 . . . By confronting the stereotypes imaginatively, by refusing to be<\/p>\n
frightened or shocked by them, [artists] turn those silences into a message.\u2019(Thomas Acton)<\/p>\n
Works of artists from different countries provide possibilities to go beyond stereotypes. Problems that<\/p>\n
the exhibition touches upon include: hidden integration vs. forced assimilation, nomadism as a possible<\/p>\n
social alternative, the notion of \u2018Gypsiness\u2019, and the voice of the Romani community in the discussion<\/p>\n
on extermination. A common ground for many aforementioned problems is constituted by architecture,<\/p>\n
which not only serves as a testimony to the unforced development of Polish-Romany double identity,<\/p>\n
but it also becomes an inspiration for a deep reflection on nomadism or the ignored Romani Holocaust.<\/p>\n
We look at how a historical counter-narrative is formed, how the Romani experience proves inspiring for<\/p>\n
contemporary cultural reflection, how Romani artists take control over their community\u2019s image. As the<\/p>\n
Roma artist Daniel Baker writes in the publication accompanying the exhibition: \u2018Elusive visibility has long<\/p>\n
been the gift of the Roma, but if we as Roma are to effectively challenge the status quo, we now need to<\/p>\n
privilege the visible over the elusive.\u2019<\/p>\n
Long absence of social, political or even historical comment on Polish-Romanian relations is striking,<\/p>\n
especially that the said relations are fraught with misunderstanding, intolerance and random acts of<\/p>\n
violence. \u2018We do not serve Romani people here\u2019, \u2019Romani people are not allowed to use our taxicabs\u2019 \u2014<\/p>\n
these were the slogans that appeared in Pozna\u0144 and were described by Lidia Osta\u0142owska in 2011! In 2013<\/p>\n
Polish nationalists triggered riots in Wroc\u0142aw aimed at burning a Romani camp. In Andrych\u00f3w local people<\/p>\n
demanded displacement of their Roma neighbours. Polish context is particularly interesting because of the<\/p>\n
artistic milieu, which \u2014 although usually socially sensitive \u2014 has not yet referred to the racism present<\/p>\n
right next to us. While stories untold have much bigger potential and force than those constantly repeated<\/p>\n
and reinterpreted, they also pose a certain threat since many years of negligence makes narrative and<\/p>\n
discursive approach oversimplified or misused. Therefore, the exhibition focuses on the visualness as a<\/p>\n
subconscious and emotional factor. It can be stated that the visual thinking (holistic, intuitive, lateral) is<\/p>\n
always irrational. In fact, however, it helps to break the boundaries of current false logic \u2014 negligence,<\/p>\n
stereotypization, social exclusion and racism \u2014 used against indigenous \u2018others\u2019 present in our reality<\/p>\n
and in art. The language of art can foster intercultural dialogue. Such is the role of the exhibition held at<\/p>\n
Zach\u0119ta \u2014 National Gallery of Art \u2014 to make the marginalized Romani problem a part of the main social,<\/p>\n
political, economic or aesthetic discourse, and thus to make Romani people present in Polish society \u2014 to<\/p>\n
fight their invisibility.<\/p>\n
*quotes come from texts published in the book Romano kher. O romskiej sztuce, estetyce i do\u015bwiadczeniu<\/p>\n
accompanying the exhibition.<\/p>\n
Artists:<\/p>\n
Neal Adams & Joe Kubert & Stan Lee, Daniel Baker, Delaine Le Bas, Tadeusz Borowski, Bownik &<\/p>\n
Marcelina Gunia, Olga Bozna\u0144ska, Kazimierz Czapi\u0144ski, Hubert Czerepok, Maria Demiter & Anna<\/p>\n
Kami\u0144ska, Jerzy Doro\u017cy\u0144ski, Jerzy Ficowski, Wojciech Gerson, Maksymilian Gierymski, Edward<\/p>\n
Gorazdowski (based on Franciszek Kostrzewski), Wojciech Jerzy Has, Juliusz Kossak, Antoni Kozakiewicz,<\/p>\n
Jan Krajewski (based on Ludwik Kurella), Ignacy Krieger, Aleksandra Kubiak, Leon Lewkowicz, Jerzy<\/p>\n
Litwora, Iain McKell, Aernout Mik, Karol M\u0142odnicki (based on Artur Grottger), Jana M\u00fcller, Franciszek<\/p>\n
Mrozek, Edward Nicz (based on J\u00f3zef Brandt), Constant Nieuwenhuys, Igor Omulecki & Payam<\/p>\n
Sharifi, Antoni Piotrowski, Dorota Podlaska, Jerzy Potrzebowski, Izabella Rapf-S\u0142awikowska, Francis<\/p>\n
Reisz, Tadeusz Rolke, Marek Rudowski & Mateusz Wi\u015bniewski, Julian Sch\u00fcbeler (based on Franciszek<\/p>\n
Kostrzewski), Zygmunt Sidorowicz, W\u0142adys\u0142aw Siwek, Jan Styfi (based on Hipolit Lipi\u0144ski), Tomasz<\/p>\n
Tomaszewski, Bruce Weber, Alex Wedding (born: Grete Weiskopf) & John Heartfield (born: Helmut<\/p>\n
Herzfelde), Piotr W\u00f3jcik, Andrzej Zajkowski (based on Franciszek Kostrzewski)<\/p>\n
curator: Monika Weychert Waluszko<\/p>\n
collaboration on the part of Zach\u0119ta: Magdalena Komornicka<\/p>\n
consultation: Tomasz Koper<\/p>\n
assistance to the work by Aernout Mik: Emile Miedema, Martijn Rooker<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
15.10\u201315.12.2013 \/ Opening: 14.10.2013 Although Romani people live among us, there are a lot of issues that divide us. Most of all, it is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4203,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[157],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n