THE BLUE HEART

The  five exhibited copper engravings tell the story of a roma village in Slovakia. The inhabitants spent many years in prison and their tattoos tell the story of their lives. They allowed me to collect this blue-inkedarchive of their past.

Just like for everyone else, it is also important for roma to have a family, a future and – most of all a history. One’s history is the only thing of people that remains. It is a constantly working archive of one’s own life. So i scratched the story into the plate, thereby documenting and eternalizing it. The roma minority is often viewed negatively due to poverty, unemployment and awkwardness. These people are constantly facing existential problems and injustice. Because of these social conditions, many become delinquent and spend several years in prison.

Also my father spent many years in prison. He told me that he had an important role there: he was the tattoo artist. My engravings deal with the moment, in which my father painfully scratches the memories of his family members into his skin. He records important data to his chest and his ears: the death of his  rst daughter or various excerpts from letters of his mistress. When i asked him about the meaning of these drawings, he showed me his chest and said:

“My body is the place of my life. All my wounds and drawings of my past are there. I scratched them with a needle and blue ink deep into my skin. My family is eternalized on my chest. Even though i left my home,i will be together with my beloved ones in prison. When i get out here one day, i will become a life story. This i will take with me to the grave.”

The prints were realised in the graphic factory Stamperia d ́Arte Albicocco in Udine (IT).

"VIERKA VASTU MERAV" (Vierka I DIE FOR YOU) 70x50 CM, COPPER ENGRAVING ON PAPER, PRINT1 / 7, VIENNA / UDINE 2014

"NA BISTER MA" (DONT FORGET ME) 70x50 CM, COPPER ENGRAVING ON PAPER, PRINT 1/7, VIENNA / UDINE 2014

"JE SUIS PERDU" (I AM LOST) 70x50 CM, COPPER ENGRAVING ON PAPER, PRINT 1/7, VIENNA / UDINE 2014

"LAKO MERIMOS" (HER DEATH) 70x50 CM, COPPER ENGRAVING ON PAPER, PRINT1 / 7, VIENNA / UDINE 2014

"THE BLUE HEART" 70x50 CM, COPPER ENGRAVING ON PAPER, PRINT 1/7, VIENNA / UDINE 2014