Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On Sept. 27th, Dublin based publisher Salmon Poetry release Kin: An Anthology of Poetry, Story and Art by Women from Romani, Traveller and Nomadic Communities. The book, along with poetry and writing from women of Romani, Traveller and Nomadic communities, features the work of Winnipeg’s multi-displinary visual artist Ildiko Nova.
Nova has been doing art her whole life and since 2009 has received accolades for her art. Notable works of hers appear in Toronto, Winnipeg and other major cities like Berlin. 
Today, Nova balances her passion for design with a commitment to social justice. Her training as a community worker, along with her experience as a Roma person in Eastern Europe, is the basis for her deep connection to social justice and her belief that by making art, she can make a difference within communities.
“When I was in college, I realized that you can write hundreds of pages on social problems, but does it really reach a audience in order to change public perception?” Nova says. “I decided not to write studies on the Roma. I just make my art and it expressed ideas like reclamation.”
Romani or Roma people are a stateless ethnic group who are widely dispersed across the globe with large concentrations in Europe. Throughout history, Roma people have been subjected to widespread discrimination.
Through her art, Nova attempts to combat negative portrayals of Roma people. In the new book, Nova focuses on portraying Romani women, being critical of some of the patriarchal tendencies within Roma communities.
“These women are matriarchs in a sense,” Nova says. “A part of the reason I did this project is to show that these women are strong and I think our community needs strong women to rewrite the patriarchy and speak for ourselves.”
However, Nova is deeply reflective with her work and how she portrays what is a very diverse group of people. Nova is a aware that her position and understanding of Roma communities does not represent all of the Romani diaspora.
“It’s very, very complex because we are talking about people all over the world with different dialects, different citizenships, or even not having citizenships. So each community has its own challenges and problems,” Nova says.
Nova is inspired by the distinct physical appearance of Romani women along with traditional symbols such as the Pavlovo scarf, horses, roses and the 16-point dharmachkra wheel, but understands that these representations are just one may of displaying the community.
“I tried to incorporate that in all my designs because that’s what I think represents us best,” Nova says. “Some people say ‘wow, that’s a bad stereotype’ and some people cherish it, it depends who you ask.”
In November, Nova will have her work featured at the Peru Bienal, a Peruvian art exhibition featuring pieces from around the globe.
“I’m proud of myself, and at this point, we still just need to be heard and to be seen in a positive way,” Nova says.