Exhibition: Roma Heroes of Resistance – Emanuel Barica + live performance

Emanuel Baricas portraits present survivors of the Roma and Sinti Holocaust, who did not let the abuse they suffered define them as victims, but as warriors who stood up and confronted everyday injustice and the horrific cruelty of the Nazi regime. The persecution of Roma – and Roma history in general – is often marginalized and forgotten, lacking the recognition it deserves. However, “we need to also tell these stories of resistance and struggle, of heroes and heroines, and how the common compassion that people have for one another can help fight the worst forms of oppression. A focus on rescue, on mutual support amongst Romani and Sinti who were deported, who were in ghettos, camps and who survived pogroms and mass murder, can teach all of us to emulate the courage of those who stood up against dehumanization and genocide” (Ethel Brooks) These portraits were created during ERIAC’s Re-thinking Roma Resistance project, funded by Foundation EVZ. Focusing on Roma agency, the research uncovered various forms of resistance and survival strategies that Roma engaged in throughout history, with a special focus on enduring and resisting the horrors of World War II. The custom-made illustrations were created by virtuoso artist Emanuel Barica, who himself is of Roma origin. These life stories of 23 Roma heroes not only stand as testimony to a painful past but point us to lessons that we can learn from those whose humanity remained strong even as fascism and barbarity swept through Europe.

The exhibition is presented in cooperation with the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture.