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Decade 1995 - 2005 is a retrospective of Rip Hopkins' works. This exhibition features extracts from bodies of work dating back to the beginning of his photographic career in 1995.
Land of Asylum, Land Of Exile, Roma Europe
A photographic portrayal of modern-day Roma
by Jean-François Joly and Rip Hopkins
They claimed that they came from "little Egypt". They were mysterious, intriguing. They became warriors, fortune tellers and court musicians to the greatest kings and queens in the land. The Roma led a life of splendour when they first arrived in Europe over 600 years ago. But during the last two centuries, fascination has given way to suspicion and resentment towards these people. With the growth of capitalism, they have been excluded from society and have become economically marginalised. Now numbering over six million, their history of migration has spread them throughout western and eastern Europe. In every country they are faced with ghettoization, high unemployment and violent discrimination.
Their distinct culture makes the Roma difficult for modern European society to accept : although solid, their identity contains none of the characteristics usually recognised in a nation such as a common history, language, religion or territory. Consequently they have been abandoned without the legal rights and with their needs ignored. The EEC countries have yet to agree on what legal status to grant them, but meanwhile their predicament is compounded by growing divisions among the Roma themselves. The are torn between the desire for citizenship within each country, and for collective recognition as a national minority spanning throughout Europe. The conflict has been exacerbated by a new wave of gypsy immigrants arriving from the east following the collapse of the Berlin Wall.
Recently, however, the Romany Union has been recognised by the EC as an organisation that represents Roma in Europe and, as far as possible, articulates their common grievances. With a new generation of intellectuals in the lead, they are finally taking the initiative and starting to mobilise in defence of their rights. The European media has consistently failed to confront the "gypsy problem". Our photographic investigation is therefore crucial to highlight their predicament. Through portraying their every day lives we will depict the difficulties that they face and the way they respond to them. Separately, we will follow and share the Roma’s daily life in the street, in the parking lots, in the schools and in the housing they have been attributed with the aim of settling them. The chosen countries of destination are Germany, France, Greece, Kosovo, Ireland, Czech Republic and Romania in order to show both their trans-national nature and the differences emerging between the communities. These seven countries will also indicate the varying political treatment received by the Roma and how their own culture compares to that of the locals. We have chosen these countries due to their specific behaviour and approach, culturally or politically, that they have adopted concerning their Roma communities. The photographic work performed in these different locations will constitute what is our vision of today’s Roma Europe.
Our portrayal will be presented through two complementary forms of photography. Using a panoramic format, in black and white and colour, Rip Hopkins will reveal the context and structure of the Roma’s lives. Jean-François Joly, taking black and white portraits with a 4x5 chamber, will explore the individuals more intimately. Our work will also present a series of portraits of the most significant figures in the political struggle for their rights. Though less splendid than the Roma of medieval Europe, the image of modern-day Roma is as dramatic and intriguing as ever.
14 silver prints - 12*60cm + cardboard mount - 40*80cm
Perspex + aluminium frame (width 2cm) with 5cm wall stand - 280*160cm
18 silver prints - 40*50cm
Perspex + aluminium frame (width 2cm) with 5cm wall stand - 120*300cm
18 x 3 silver prints - 24*72cm
Perspex + aluminium frame (width 2cm) with 5cm wall stand - 144*216cm
Land of Asylum, Land Of Exile, Roma Europe
A photographic portrayal of modern-day Roma
by Jean-François Joly and Rip Hopkins
They claimed that they came from "little Egypt". They were mysterious, intriguing. They became warriors, fortune tellers and court musicians to the greatest kings and queens in the land. The Roma led a life of splendour when they first arrived in Europe over 600 years ago. But during the last two centuries, fascination has given way to suspicion and resentment towards these people. With the growth of capitalism, they have been excluded from society and have become economically marginalised. Now numbering over six million, their history of migration has spread them throughout western and eastern Europe. In every country they are faced with ghettoization, high unemployment and violent discrimination.
Their distinct culture makes the Roma difficult for modern European society to accept : although solid, their identity contains none of the characteristics usually recognised in a nation such as a common history, language, religion or territory. Consequently they have been abandoned without the legal rights and with their needs ignored. The EEC countries have yet to agree on what legal status to grant them, but meanwhile their predicament is compounded by growing divisions among the Roma themselves. The are torn between the desire for citizenship within each country, and for collective recognition as a national minority spanning throughout Europe. The conflict has been exacerbated by a new wave of gypsy immigrants arriving from the east following the collapse of the Berlin Wall.
Recently, however, the Romany Union has been recognised by the EC as an organisation that represents Roma in Europe and, as far as possible, articulates their common grievances. With a new generation of intellectuals in the lead, they are finally taking the initiative and starting to mobilise in defence of their rights. The European media has consistently failed to confront the "gypsy problem". Our photographic investigation is therefore crucial to highlight their predicament. Through portraying their every day lives we will depict the difficulties that they face and the way they respond to them. Separately, we will follow and share the Roma’s daily life in the street, in the parking lots, in the schools and in the housing they have been attributed with the aim of settling them. The chosen countries of destination are Germany, France, Greece, Kosovo, Ireland, Czech Republic and Romania in order to show both their trans-national nature and the differences emerging between the communities. These seven countries will also indicate the varying political treatment received by the Roma and how their own culture compares to that of the locals. We have chosen these countries due to their specific behaviour and approach, culturally or politically, that they have adopted concerning their Roma communities. The photographic work performed in these different locations will constitute what is our vision of today’s Roma Europe.
Our portrayal will be presented through two complementary forms of photography. Using a panoramic format, in black and white and colour, Rip Hopkins will reveal the context and structure of the Roma’s lives. Jean-François Joly, taking black and white portraits with a 4x5 chamber, will explore the individuals more intimately. Our work will also present a series of portraits of the most significant figures in the political struggle for their rights. Though less splendid than the Roma of medieval Europe, the image of modern-day Roma is as dramatic and intriguing as ever.
14 silver prints - 12*60cm + cardboard mount - 40*80cm
Perspex + aluminium frame (width 2cm) with 5cm wall stand - 280*160cm
Land of Asylum, Land Of Exile, Roma Europe
A photographic portrayal of modern-day Roma
by Jean-François Joly and Rip Hopkins
They claimed that they came from "little Egypt". They were mysterious, intriguing. They became warriors, fortune tellers and court musicians to the greatest kings and queens in the land. The Roma led a life of splendour when they first arrived in Europe over 600 years ago. But during the last two centuries, fascination has given way to suspicion and resentment towards these people. With the growth of capitalism, they have been excluded from society and have become economically marginalised. Now numbering over six million, their history of migration has spread them throughout western and eastern Europe. In every country they are faced with ghettoization, high unemployment and violent discrimination.
Their distinct culture makes the Roma difficult for modern European society to accept : although solid, their identity contains none of the characteristics usually recognised in a nation such as a common history, language, religion or territory. Consequently they have been abandoned without the legal rights and with their needs ignored. The EEC countries have yet to agree on what legal status to grant them, but meanwhile their predicament is compounded by growing divisions among the Roma themselves. The are torn between the desire for citizenship within each country, and for collective recognition as a national minority spanning throughout Europe. The conflict has been exacerbated by a new wave of gypsy immigrants arriving from the east following the collapse of the Berlin Wall.
Recently, however, the Romany Union has been recognised by the EC as an organisation that represents Roma in Europe and, as far as possible, articulates their common grievances. With a new generation of intellectuals in the lead, they are finally taking the initiative and starting to mobilise in defence of their rights. The European media has consistently failed to confront the "gypsy problem". Our photographic investigation is therefore crucial to highlight their predicament. Through portraying their every day lives we will depict the difficulties that they face and the way they respond to them. Separately, we will follow and share the Roma’s daily life in the street, in the parking lots, in the schools and in the housing they have been attributed with the aim of settling them. The chosen countries of destination are Germany, France, Greece, Kosovo, Ireland, Czech Republic and Romania in order to show both their trans-national nature and the differences emerging between the communities. These seven countries will also indicate the varying political treatment received by the Roma and how their own culture compares to that of the locals. We have chosen these countries due to their specific behaviour and approach, culturally or politically, that they have adopted concerning their Roma communities. The photographic work performed in these different locations will constitute what is our vision of today’s Roma Europe.
Our portrayal will be presented through two complementary forms of photography. Using a panoramic format, in black and white and colour, Rip Hopkins will reveal the context and structure of the Roma’s lives. Jean-François Joly, taking black and white portraits with a 4x5 chamber, will explore the individuals more intimately. Our work will also present a series of portraits of the most significant figures in the political struggle for their rights. Though less splendid than the Roma of medieval Europe, the image of modern-day Roma is as dramatic and intriguing as ever.
15 silver prints - 24*30cm
Glass + aluminium frame (width 2cm) with 5cm wall stand - 24*450cm