Exhibiting artists: Farkas Attila, Hájas Zoltán, Jakab Krisztián, Lukács János, Ökrös Mónika, Szabadfi Éva, Vári Zsolt
“So I’ll tell everyone…” – This is the title of a contemporary exhibition opening in Budapest, featuring the works of seven artists. The title is not just a lyrical sentence, it is the essence of the exhibition: to speak, to be present and to be visible.
This title is linked to the message of Frigyes Karinthy, who throughout his life’s work fought for the truth of the individual, for freedom of expression. The Roma artists in the exhibition make a similar gesture to the public. Their paintings are not only expressions, but also visual testimonies. They also speak for those who have long had no voice in the art world and are now speaking for all. This sentence thus becomes at once a cultural reference, a statement of identity and a social cry.
Artists come from different walks of life. Some have brought their works from the silence of rural workshops, others have painted on canvas the colours of the Danube bend or the inner struggles that mature in the noise of the city. So what do they have in common? The desire to express their Roma identity and their personal experiences, which is given a new language through their works. These images do not explain, but feel, question, remind, rebel and hope.
The artworks reflect tradition and modernity, folklore and contemporary gesture, silence and shouting. The portraits look back at us and speak to us. Behind the flickering abstractions are human stories. The images are not simply beautiful, but true.
The aim of the exhibition is not to label “Roma art” but to show individual voices, sensitive perspectives and authentic inner worlds. Here, Roma identity is not a symbol but a reality. It is at once a heritage, a struggle, an inspiration and a creative source.
Tibor Balogh