Gendal’ipen – Support of Roma contemporary art

Art is a reflection of every society. It is a reflection (GENDAL’IPEN in Roma language) of the world as we see it or we wish to see it. It has the power to define, preserve and communicate individual ideas and collective cultural codes. Cultural (including artistic) representation plays an important role in building ethnic (or other) identity, identity and self-esteem of the individual. Throughout history, artists have exercised their creative power to define themselves through art and create self-determination that reveals them and their respective society in the best possible light. For centuries, stereotypes and prejudices have had a negative impact on the position of the Roma and their culture and art. Roma art has been excluded from the mainstream for many centuries, misunderstood, simplified, and its artists have often been pushed to the background.

The aim of this project is to support Roma artists in their creation and presentation of professional Roma contemporary art through various activities and thus to show that Roma contemporary art and its artists wish to be seen and heard and that they have their full place in (not only Czech) culture and society.

As a part of the project activities, we are going to organize Roma cultural days „GENDAL’IPEN“ in Oslo in cooperation with partners from the Czech Republic. This 2day event will take place in 2022/2023.The program will consist of an exhibition, movie screening, literary event (public reading of a Czech Roma writer) and musical performance (joint musical performance of Czech and Norwegien musicians mixing different Roma musical styles). Event will be accompanied by discussion with the public/audience. The exhibition will be open for public for 3 weeks.

 

Overal project information:

Project period: May 2021 – April 2023

Place: Czech Republic, Norway – Oslo, Iceland – Reykjavík

Official partners:

Slovo 21, z. s., Czech Republic

Romsk kultur og ressurssenter – Romano kher / Kirkens bymisjon, Norway

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages, Iceland

Financial mechanism: EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021

Programme: Programme „Culture“

Call: Contemporary Art

Grant allocation: 5 140 000 CZK (approx. 200 000 EUR)

www: https://www.eeagrants.cz/en/, https://eeagrants.org/; https://www.slovo21.cz/extensions/gendalipen

FB: https://www.facebook.com/gendalipen

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