An Arts Council of Wales funded project gets the green light
The Romani Cultural & Arts Company is proud to announce an exciting new project that will see established and emerging Gypsy and Traveller artists develop innovative works while engaging the Gypsy, Traveller community and wider public in an ongoing dialogue about their inspiration and cultural perspectives.
Daniel Baker will be our established artist for the 2014-15 pilot year. He is a Romani Gypsy. An artist, curator and theorist, he holds a PhD on the subject of Gypsy aesthetics from the Royal College of Art, London. Baker’s work is exhibited internationally work can be found in collections across Europe, America, and Asia.
Shamus McPhee is a Scottish Traveller, artist and activist. He holds a M.A. in Celtic Hispanic Studies from Aberdeen University, Aberdeen. The over-arching theme of this new work will be : ‘Aspects of Gypsy Traveller Life’, and he proposes to create and exhibit several pieces of work whose focus would be the examination of attitudes witnessed in the social response to Gypsy Traveller culture in Scotland.
Each artist will donate a piece of their works to the charity so that an ongoing physical collection can be amassed.
This will be a fascinating project that everyone will benefit from.
Jane Hutt Minister for Finance – Welsh Government said “This is an exciting, unique and inclusive project which I wish all the very best.”
Dr Daniel Baker said “I am very pleased to be working with The Romani Cultural & Arts Company on this new project which again sees them leading the way in developing progressive and engaging arts initiatives. Their unique approach to contemporary Romani culture draws people together by highlighting commonality across communities whilst at the same time recognising and celebrating difference; a valuable skill indeed.”
Dr. Ethel Brooks – 2011-2012 Fulbright Distinguished Chair, University of the Arts London said “The Gypsy Maker project is the first of its kind, combining as it does mentoring, the fostering of a GRT artistic community and the creation of a permanent collection of GRT art with an eye to creating a museum. The concerns of this project, and the attention it devotes to examining visual culture and representation in relation cultural identity, resonates with cutting-edge work being done by GRT communities across Europe, will help foster new artistic forms and practices in Wales and across Europe.”
Press coverage notably from (Travellers’ Times)
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