18 February 2013

For Gypsy Kings, the AOP's current online exhibition, Terri Potoczna advertised for Roma volunteers to choose a person from a selection of famous paintings whose appearance they would like to "try on". She travelled throughout Hungary to meet them and recorded the discussion about their choices as well as their comments about Roma identity.   

She explains; "The subjects range from a  young painter and decorator from Szeged to a trainee lawyer from Debrecen. Andrea Sieto, theatrical costume maker, made the clothes and the participants were photographed in a studio in Budapest or on location. The models received no payment for participating in the project.

"The project is also a protest against the stereotypical representation of Roma in the media...poverty porn providing the viewer with the opportunity to feel pity or hate, but never envy."

Terri Potoczna was born in London.  She ran a fringe theatre company before going to the London College of Printing to study photography and other media.  Her past exhibitions include People Pretending to be on the Telephone Using Various Personally Selected Objects; Jews and Arabs of Tunisia and Le Monde est aux Putes.

Gypsy Kings, supported by the Hungarian Arts Foundation, can be viewed until 13 March.