RʳOMA LEPANTO

Venice is proud of its seemingly illustrious history. It has just celebrated the 450th anniversary of its victory in the naval battle of Lepanto, in which the Republic of Venice, as part of the Holy Alliance with Malta and Spain, defeated the Ottoman fleet. The exhibition RʳOMA LEPANTO is an artistic intervention to rewrite this history: What has been erased from tradition is that several hundred rowers of the Venetian and Spanish galleys were Roma, Gitanos from Spain and Roma from the Vatican State, who were traded as slaves and provided the strength for the victory of the Holy Alliance. On the other side of the Ottoman fleet, there were also rowers who were Roma. Similar to later European wars, they met in battle on different sides. But as in other contexts, the voice of the oppressed was silenced. Venice’s success was also fuelled by the energy of the Rroma. The treatment of the Roma as slaves by the Venetians is one of the earliest examples of antiziganism to which the minority is still subjected today. Roma contributions to European history are continually neglected, and Venice owes its greatest victory in part to the power of the Roma.

 

RʳOMA LEPANTO is a site-specific art installation taking place in Palazzo Bembo during the 60th Venice Art Biennale. The Bembo family was one of the most important aristocratic families in Venice. Giovanni Bembo served as sopracomito di galera (commander) during the battle. The exhibition not only shows the beauty of Venice. It takes this historical event as a starting point for an acute debate about Roma as part of European society and history. By confronting Europe with its invisible past, we can take a step towards a future of participation and honesty. The art installation does not simply reconstruct the naval battle, but contextualises it and invites the audience on an ambiguous and brilliant journey between past and present. During the Biennale, on 7 October, the day of the battle, an annual commemoration will be held in the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary to commemorate the Battle of Lepanto. The artists will take part in this event – in the form of a performative intervention.

 

After the successful 4th Pavilion of Roma and Sinti, which took place as a side event of the 59th Venice Biennale on behalf of ERIAC, this exhibition will once again present art as a motor for change. It calls for a home for Roma art at the Venice Biennale, which is still being denied. Roma artists from across Europe are stepping out of invisibility, which we can do by giving them a stage. The exhibition recognises the long history of Roma enslavement and presents art as a means to combat the sense of inferiority that is the result of a silenced history. By bringing new perspectives to European events, Roma are taking control of imposed history and through their art can present a self-image that represents a people with talent and ideas, with positive and imaginative contributions to society and our community.

 

The Battle of Lepanto was also an early media event. At the time of the battle, Venice was the European centre for the printing and publication of books, many of which portrayed the Turkish enemy as monstrous and evil. This early version of mass media was also characterised by hegemonic power. The racist representations also underlie the current antagonism that minorities such as the Roma still face today. RʳOMA LEPANTO will confront its European audience with its past. An artistic approach and the sensitive and careful encounter of people in art will open up a new vision of an inclusive Europe: Roma are a part of Venice, of the Venice Biennale and of Europe and its history.

Moritz Pankok

 

 

Rʳoma Lepanto is a project of the Foundation Kai Dikhas in collaboration with ERIAC (Europena Roma Institute for Arts and Culture), the Documentation Centre of German Sinti and Roma and ECC (European Cultural Centre Italy).

This project has been made possible with the support of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) through the ERIACNET4EU initiative, funded by the European Union under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) program. However, the views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or ERIAC. Neither the European Union nor ERIAC can be held responsible for them.

 

 

Participating artists: