The rise of 'Roma Art'

'Roma Art’ – the self-described movement of modern day artists from a wide variety of Roma, Gypsy and Traveller heritages – is having a moment. Delaine Le Bas – a British artist of Romani heritage – has been nominated for the 40th Turner Prize (at Tate Britain until 16 February 2025). The Venice Biennale has housed various ‘Roma Pavilions’ since 2007, whilst Małgorzata Mirga-Tas was chosen as the official Polish representative at the 59th Biennale in 2022 – the first Roma artist to represent a country. Documenta15, the influential art show in Kassel, Germany, displayed its first ever group exhibition of Roma Art in 2022. These artists and exhibitions are bringing the triumphs and struggles of their communities to public visibility in diverse and extraordinary ways, even questioning what the phrase ‘their communities’ actually means and to whom.