Paper short abstract:

This paper demonstrates through the story of a Hungarian Roma painter how the cumulative disadvantage and the insecurity of existence is expressed in art. The possibilities and limitations of applied cultural research will be explored along with this individual's life and artistic expression.

Paper long abstract:

Janó Bari (1957-) is a Hungarian Romani painter. His life and living conditions reflect the situation of the majority of Roma in Hungary: born into a poor family with many children, taken away from his parents by the state during communism and placed in state care, with no qualifications, imprisoned by mistake, married, divorced, and now living in poor conditions. The uniqueness of Janó lies not in these circumstances, but in his personal character. Janó, who resembles Bob Marley, with dreadlocks and tattoos, is a self-taught artist who has painted with his long beard and hair in various performances. He was the only Roma participant in the underground art scene of the 1980s, but unlike many of the gadjo (non-Gypsy) artists, he failed to become financially rich after the fall of Socialism. One question to be explored: is he one of the many other Roma artists who have suffered a similar fate? How did he cope with his disadvantaged circumstances and ongoing discrimination through his art? To what extent do artists with similar fates stick together, or do they tend to work in isolation, resigned to their difficult situation? Where is the researcher's responsibility in this situation and how far does it extend?