Roma art is debated as a concept, as it raises questions about whether art can or should be defined or categorized by the identity of its creator. The document discusses how art is a universal and timeless medium, but also how creating and engaging with art can benefit minority groups and help youth explore their identities and experiences in a safe environment. It describes using art activities in schools to foster understanding between Roma and non-Roma students, address stereotypes, and create opportunities for self-expression, communication, and emotional well-being. Examples are given of the author's art projects with Roma youth in Slovakia.

1. Roma Art- Is there such a thing?
Art for Social Justice
By
Katalin Gyokeny MFA, MSEd, MA

2. Artistically speaking
• artart washes away from the soul the dustwashes away from the soul the dust
of everyday life.of everyday life.
• Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso

3. Roma Art – Is there such a thing?
• What is Roma art?
• Can we call it Roma art just because it is created by people of Roma
origin?
• Is there male art and female art then too, because various genders created
it?
• Is there Chicano art, Jewish art, African American art too?
• Does it matter who created the artwork?
• Art is Universal and timeless.
• Art Is therapy

4. Art increases well being
• Art can be used as classroom and school
intervention, making sure peer interaction is safe
for all.
• Bullying by peers, racial and ethnic,
discriminatory language, social ostracizing are
all damaging to the self esteem of the Roma
youth. It hinders their social-emotional and
cognitive growth.

5. Nature/Nurture
• All young people have the right to grow up in a safe,
healthy, nurturing environment in which they can achieve
their potential.
• Expressive and creative activities enable people to
become more aware of their emotions, and help them to
express themselves in a nonverbal manner, using art.
• Creating art is freeing and empowering for all.
• Using creative activities unlocks hidden fears, and
makes way for dealing with them.
• Using art in group settings is even more powerful, as
youth can share, communicate, socialize and feel less
alone with their problem.

6. Fitting in
• When young people don’t fit into the cultural norms of the society,
school can become a frightening place where they do not feel
emotionally safe and can not learn effectively.
• School curriculum does not include lesson plans that would address
the life and experience of Roma youth, who are frequently targets
to bullying and teasing by peers.
• Ethnic majority and minority should participate in exploring their
identity, their fears of social stigma, their social conformity, or
confusion.
• Exploration of what is “normal” and what seems not to be should be
explored through creative visual arts exercises. Good results can be
achieved through art making followed by discussion.

7. Who can benefit
• Students, teachers and staff.
• Teachers and staff should explore empathic listening, role playing, and art
making, through which they can eventually understand and help their Roma
students.
• All children need curricular mirrors to see them selves reflected and thus
feel safe in being themselves. They also need curricular windows to feel
safe with the differences of others
Steps toward achieving this end:
• Education in origin and history of the Roma people, both for ethnic majority
and minority
• Installing positive role models
• Extinction of perpetuation of Romany stereotype

9. Visiting Jarovnice Eastern Slovakia

10. Working together Jan Sajko with his students

11. Motherhood

12. Group Art / learning the history

13. Family

14. Music

15. As Ambassador of Cornell University Eastern European Studies
program of Know The New Europe - Visiting Poland 2011

16. Special School in Hnusta, SK. Many Romany students are
automatically placed in special schools where their curriculum is
watered down and they have no further opportunities in life.

17. Romany Special ed. School in Rimavska Sobota,Slovakia

18. Church of cheese
I started the lesson by capturing the students attention by declaring: “The Roma
people don’t have a church because they ate it.”
What? The children’s faces gleamed in disbelieve and expecting some fun story to
emerge.
Yes, I continued. The Caucasians built their church of cheese and the Roma, using
stones. The Caucasians then tricked the gullible Roma people, by offering them their
cheese church in exchange for their stone one. The Caucasians were also going to pay
extra money for the stone church. The Roma people agreed to this deal. However the
Caucasians failed to live up to their promise and never payed the extra money. The
Romany people where poor and hungry, so they ate their church.
And that’s why the Roma people do not have a church.
At this point the students are laughing in amusement.
I distributed chunks of cheese and sculpting tools to them, as the next step.
We proceeded to carve churches out of cheese.
Some students ate some of it too.

19. Friendship Mandala

20. Festival of Racial and Ethnic tolerance, Lucenec
Slovakia

21. Making a paper mache dancer

22. Painting the dancer

23. So called Roma Art
1.Balazs Balogh Andras, 2.Dilinko Gabor, 3.C Kis.Jozsef,4. Bada Marta

24. 1.Katalin Gyokeny, 2. Eva Gyurak Smitt, 3. Joe Machine