The Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels showing 'Sawore, sawore, sawore (Everything, everything, everything)' by Małgorzata Mirga-Tas and placing Roma figures at the heart of European art history.
For her intervention in Brussels, Małgorzata Mirga-Tas draws on 'The Story of Jacob', a series of tapestries designed by Bernard van Orley and made in the studio of Willem de Kempeneer in the 16th century. These carpets are extraordinary historical works in which Romani women and children were used as models, but without explicit recognition in art history. By including her own work in this series, Małgorzata Mirga-Tas places these often ignored figures at the centre of the visual narrative.
The large monumental tapestry (425 x 600 cm) temporarily replaces one of the eight original pieces of 'The Story of Jacob' and retains the traditional structure, including the main scene, the three-part border and a cartouche with text. By interweaving contemporary Romani portraits, drawn from the personal photo archive of the artist and her family, with the historical images, a dynamic dialogue between past and present is created. The biblical narrative of 'The Story of Jacob' is thus transferred to the modern context and offers a critical perspective on the contemporary migration and minority policies in the European Union.
