On October 2nd, 2022, the National Gallery of Art opened the exhibition, “Sargent in Spain,” featuring works of art created by John Singer Sargent during his seven trips to Spain. Several of the paintings depict Spanish Roma people and their lifestyle. Cristiana Grigore, founder of the Roma Peoples Project at Columbia University, was invited to be part of an advisory group assembled by the National Gallery to examine and reframe the narratives around depictions of Roma people.
Visitors to the exhibition were given an introduction to Roma history, the following words appearing as part of a larger text on the gallery wall: “The Roma people, with roots in northern India, migrated to Europe about a thousand years ago. Since their arrival in Spain around the 15th century, the Roma have made important contributions to the country and its culture. They also have been oppressed, marginalized, and subjected to painful stereotypes, both within Spain and worldwide.”
Part of
Cristiana Grigore’s contribution was to provide additional context about global Roma culture, identity, and the stigma which is often enhanced by the use of the derogatory term “Gypsy.” For centuries, the stereotype of “Gypsy wanderers and thieves” has perpetuated a narrative where Roma are both romanticized and criminalized. Even in today’s society, “Gypsy” is associated with dishonest or illegal activities, a perception inherent in terms such as “Gypped” or “Gypsy cabs.”
An open dialogue among the members of the advisory group led to changing the titles of several paintings. For instance, the painting “Spanish Gypsy Woman” became “Spanish Roma Woman,” and “Spanish Gypsy Dancer” became “Spanish Roma Dancer.” Cristiana Grigore also wrote wall labels in which she shared her responses to the above-mentioned paintings. You can read one of her contributions to “Spanish Roma Dancer,” the exhibition’s signature image in the text bellow:
“There is beauty in these depictions of flamenco, a Spanish Roma art form. For generations, Roma history was written in song and performed in dance to express pride and resilience. It has enriched Roma and non-Roma culture, in Spain and across the world. However, these contributions have yet to be fully acknowledged and celebrated.
There is also pain in these depictions. Too often, we are not allowed to be your next-door neighbor, your classmate or colleague, your fellow writer or academic, but only an intriguing source of entertainment. Portrayals of Roma as beguiling performers have enabled their othering.
I hope we can get to a point where we can be inspired by the long tradition of Roma music and dance, but also to make space for our people as writers, educators, leaders, and practitioners of a variety of professions so that a Roma child can proudly say, “I can be an artist or whatever else I want to be!”’
There has long been a dearth of Roma representation in museums and other mainstream cultural institutions. By bringing Roma narratives and Roma voices to the forefront, the National Gallery has provided much needed visibility to Roma people and culture. We hope that other major museums, both in the United States and internationally, will follow their lead. The exhibition is open to the public until January 2nd, 2023. If you are already in Washington DC or will be visiting in the next few months, we hope you will visit the exhibition and share your impressions with us at
ng2548@columbia.edu.
