56 BULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 57

Beauty and Struggle Christina Zetterlund 1 is a senior lecturer at An article about the jewellery artist Rosa Taikon (1926–2017) the Department of Design, Faculty of Arts and Huma- nities, Linnėuniversitetet, E-mail: christina.zetterlund@ lnu.se ABSTRACT:

The focus of this article is the Swedish Romani jewellery artist Rosa Taikon and her practice during the first part of her career. It opens with a description of her education and the devel- opment of her unique expression, combining late modernist art jewellery and Romani craft 1 The research for this article was made traditions. Two exhibitions are analysed. The first is the exhibition „Zigensk smycketradition possible by the Hälsinglands Museums – Rosa Taikon“ at the Nationalmuseum in 1969, which was her great debut exhibition during project of the, Rosa Taikon Archive, htt- the counter-culture heyday. This exhibition was as much about Roma history and traditions as ps://halsinglandsmuseum.se/projekt/ rosa-taikons-verkstad/. The author has about Taikon’s own work. The second example is the exhibition„Rosa Taikon. Bernd Janusch. been active as researcher within this pro- Smyckekonst. Corpus Silver“ at the Röhsska musset [Museum of Design and Craft] in Gothen- ject. burg in 1983, which was presented as post-modernist discourse was coming to the forefront, and therefore made less visible political statements than the one in 1969. By analysing this change, I do not just want to portray a brilliant, creative artist, but also to discuss the con- ditions in which Taikon worked and the difficulty of an artist from a minority being regarded on the same terms as her peers. The article ends by pointing to the important work regarding Taikon’s legacy that is being done in Sweden today.

Key words: jewellery art, craft, Romani traditions, Sweden

ABSTRAKT:

Tento článek pojednává o švédské romské šperkařce Rose Taikon a její tvorbě v průběhu prv- ní části její kariéry. Začíná popisem jejího vzdělání a vývoje jejího osobitého výrazu, v němž se spojují pozdně modernistické umělecké šperky s romskou řemeslnou tradicí. Předmětem analýzy v článku jsou dvě výstavy. První je výstava „Zigensk smycketradition – Rosa Taikon“ v Národním muzeu ve Stockholmu ve Švédsku v roce 1969, kterou debutovala v době rozkvětu alternativní kultury. Tato výstava byla věnována jak romské historii a tradicím, tak i vlastní tvorbě Rosy Taikon. Druhým příkladem je výstava „Rosa Taikon. Bernd Janusch. Smyckekonst. Corpus Silver“ z roku 1983 v Röhsska musset v Göteborgu, prezentovaná jako v té době aktu- ální postmoderní diskurs. Tato výstava proto obsahovala méně viditelná politická prohlášení než výstava z roku 1969. Analýzou této změny nechci jen přinést svědectví o brilantní, krea- tivní umělkyni, ale také diskutovat podmínky, v nichž Rosa Taikon pracovala, a o obtížích, kterým čelí umělkyně pocházející z menšiny, jež je posuzována stejným metrem jako její vrs- tevníci. Článek končí poukazem na důležitou práci týkající se odkazu Rosy Taikon, která dnes ▲ Exhibition poster, “Roma ve Švédsku probíhá. Jewellery Tradition – Rosa Taikon”, 1969. Photo: Natio- Klíčová slova: šperkařské umění, řemeslo, romské tradice, Švédsko nalmuseum, Stockholm 58 BULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 59

At the Swedish Nationalmuseum of tionalmuseum gives evidence of Rosa Art and Design there is a permanent ex- Taikon’s importance in Swedish art hibition called The Treasury exhibiting history. However, she is just represent- ‘objects of vertu’- a room full of objects ed there by Bara Ihlo. Compared with of adornment, jewellery, and smaller her peers, such as the jewellery artist pieces created from precious materials. Torunn Bülow-Hübe, whose works the One vitrine, called “Jewellery for Mod- museum placed in the centre of the ern Life”, presents art jewellery made above-mentioned vitrine, this is a weak during the decades after the Second representation. The Nationalmuseum World War. During this period, artists owns 36 pieces that Torunn Bülow-Hü- changed the understanding of jewellery be produced over a period of forty ye- design from that of producing precious, ars. That means the museum followed decorative objects to that of subjective Bülow-Hübe’s artistic development, experimentation with forms and mate- whereas Rosa Taikon’s successful rials. This late modernist jewellery was career, which spanned more than fifty exhibited in 1959 by the Nationalmuse- years, is represented by just one piece. um in the exhibition Nutidssmycken To challenge this unbalanced repre- [Contemporary Jewellery] (Hernmarck sentation, I want to show the develop- 1959). The vitrine showcases works by ment of Taikon’s practice by discussing several of the artists represented in the two events in the first part of her cari- 1959 exhibition along-side others who er. The first is the exhibition “Roma were active in the decades after the Sec- Tradition – Rosa Taikon” at the Natio- ond World War. nalmuseum in 1969, during which the In the lower left corner of this vitri- museum bought the Bara Ihlo neckla- ne, the visitor can see the magnificent ce. The second example is the exhibiti- necklace Bara Ihlo [“Big Heart”] made on “Rosa Taikon, Bernd Janusch, Jew- by Rosa Taikon in 1968. It is an expres- ellery, Hollowware, Silver” at the Röhsska sive silver necklace, large and beauti- musset [Museum of Design and Craft] fully crafted with intricate decoration. Gothenburg in 1983. By analysing the The necklace combines late modernist changes in her work occurring during expressive jewellery with Romani craft and between these two events, I do not tradition into something unique that is just want to portray a creative and bril- not to be found in the work of any other liant artist, but also to discuss the artist represented in the vitrine. circumstances in which Rosa Taikon By analysing the development of Rosa worked. Taikon’s early career, I will show how

she formulated her own jewellery lan- Early life ▲ Silver necklace Bara Ihlo designed guage, one that contributed to the deve- and crafted by Rosa Taikon, 1969. lopment of Romani jewellery traditions Rosa Taikon’s father, Johan Tai- From the collections of the Nationalmuseum, as well as to how her art jewellery was kon, came to Hapranda in the north Stockholm, NMK 85/1969. Photo: Hans Thorwid – Nationalmuseum, made and understood. of Sweden on the Finnish border with Stockholm This single piece exhibited at the Na- his father, Kori Taikon (Caldars 2002: 60 BULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 61

2 The Rosa Taikon Collection at the Häl- 16) and his brothers. The family were art school. In fact, any form of formal singland Museum. Kalderash Roma who came to Sweden education was difficult for Roma to -ac from Russia through Finland. In 1926, cess, as her family could not stay in Rosa Taikon was born in a camp out- one place for a longer period of time. side the small village of Tibro in the This, alongside institutional racism, southern region of Sweden. Her mother made it difficult for them to access was Agda Karlsson, a farmer’s daugh- education (Rodell Olgaç, 2013: 199). ter from Härryda who had met Johan Rosa Taikon was 35 years old when she Taikon at a restaurant in Gothenburg was accepted to the metalworking de- where she worked as a waitress. Jo- partment at Konstfack, where the well- han Taikon would support his family -known silversmith Sven Arne Gillgren by running a travelling amusement was the head teacher. She studied at park, as well as taking on tin-pla- Konstfack until 1967. ting commissions. During Rosa Tai- In the Rosa Taikon Archive at Hälsing- kon’s upbringing, the family moved lands Museum in the north of Sweden frequently, living in tents, caravans one is able to go through her sket- or hotels. Her mother died when Rosa ches following her work at Konstfack. Taikon was only seven years old, which There are classic sketches of hollow- resulted in her having to take a lot of ware alongside jewellery.2 There are also responsibility within the family. Ear- design ideas for objects with clean sur- ly in life she learned how to play the faces and sharp lines, a form of de- drums and would tour around Sweden sign that one would find among most together with members of her family student works at this time. From these (Taikon 1963: 23, 56). She would also preserved sketches one can follow her perform outside her family, appearing work going in a different direction and in the filmSmeder på Luffen (“Smiths how she makes sketches of her fami- on the Road”) in 1949, and she partic- ly’s jewellery and integrates aspects of ipated in and won the beauty pageant them into her own work. Through the called Tusensköna [“The Daisy”]. Du- sketches, it is possible to follow her ring the 1950s she would appear in se- developing her own unique language, veral more films and become friends in which she would combine late mod- with many artists in Stockholm. ernist expressive jewellery with Ro- mani traditions. Her powerful jewell- At Konstfack ery at this time had bold shapes and precise details. She decorated the sur- In 1961 Rosa Taikon was accepted to faces with granules and filigree into the Konstfack University College of intricate compositions that empha-

Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, sised the form. There are decorative ▲ Silver earrings designed and crafted one of the most prestigious art schools details present with a direct reference by Rosa Taikon. in Sweden. Although she comes from to the traditions of her family. Photo: Carl Öst Wilkens – Hälsinglands a family of smiths, she was the first Museum to receive a formal education at an 62 BULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 63

Preserve a tradition morrow] conducted between 2017 and 2019 3 Se also: https://halsinglandsmuseum. se/inlagg/2020/johan-taikons- by the Romani Culture Centre in Malmö in arbetsbok/?fbclid=IwAR2SGPTkZXYr- In the article Konsthantverk, sång, collaboration with the Regional Museum in 0sKj0RuPx0_wFb5FBqVY0uSdZtzif-Us- B0ydEipr_sTMzHU [retrieved 2020-09- 6 dans, musik. Något om zigenarnas kultu- Kristianstad. The project created a large 17] rarv [Craft, song, dance, music. Something inventory of jewellery and craft objects found 4 https://digitaltmuseum.se/search/ ?aq=topic%3A%22Romsk%20histo- about Romani cultural heritage] from 1966 among Swedish Roma. As a result, the book ria%22&o=0&n=80 [retrieved 2020- (Taikon 1966), Rosa Taikon writes about Romska Smycken. Hantverk, tradition och 04-10] and https://digitaltmuseum. se/011013840606/romskt-diklosmyc- her practice, in which she was attempting ett sätt att leva [Roma Jewellery. Craft, ke-av-guld-och-stenar-diklo-ar-den-hu- to "preserve some of the old Romani jewell- tradition and a way of life] (Nilsson, Kalda- vudduk-som-bars-av [retrieved 2020-04- 10] ery art" while at the same time observing ras 2018) was published. This is a ground- 5 https://digitaltmuseum.se/ how "its fine character and decorative de- -breaking work that published a history of 011024191676/zigenarbalte [retrieved 2020-04-10] signs can be transferred to a modern form this craft as practiced within the Romani 6 http://www.rkcmalmo.se/page/ without losing its specific style" (Taikon community and traced it to the making of hantverk/ [retrieved 2020-04-10] 7 See for instance: Zigensk smycketraditi- 1966: 101). non-Romani craftsmen creating pieces ac- on. Rosa Taikon. Stockholm: Nationalmu- Until recently, outside of the Roma- cording to Romani designs. The book has seum, 1969, p. 19. ni groups in Sweden, very little has been several examples of Swedish Romani jewell- preserved or even known about the Ro- ery, including examples of the tradition mani tradition Rosa Taikon referred to in that Rosa Taikon references, among them her work. The most common craft was, of a belt made by her father. The piece is not course, tinning, which for a long time was as elaborate as other works by Johan Tai- a source of income. Rosa Taikon’s father kon7 and consists of interlocking axe-sha- was trained as a silversmith in Samar- ped pieces with coins issued by the Sven- kand, and through his work log one can ska Kennelklubben [the Swedish Kennel follow his travels all over Sweden to do tin- Club] (Nilsson, Kaldaras 2018: 42–43). Rom- -plating commissions for restaurants, ho- ska Smycken. Hantverk, tradition och ett tels, bakeries and military garrisons (Fern- sätt att leva has a whole chapter about stål, Hyltén-Cavallius: 87–91).3 However, Rosa Taikon, giving evidence of her impor- he also created more elaborate jewellery. tance. She is portrayed there as someo- Among Rosa Taikon’s sketches archived in ne who “modernised the smithing art of Konstfack there is one of an intricate neck- the Roma, made her own interpretations” lace made by her father. However, very few (Nilsson, Kaldaras 2018: 97). In the text, the museums have collected these objects. The- authors also point towards the important re are some pieces in the Nordic Museum in work that Hälsinglands Museum is doing by Stockholm, where several are attributed to building an archive for Rosa Taikon’s work Rosa Taikon’s uncle, Bomba Taikon,4 and an and creating a permanent exhibition about ▲ Silver ring Towhér designed and crafted by Rosa Taikon, 1969. Photo: Bernd Janush impressive silver belt is dated to the end of her, as this displays the importance of the the 19th century at the Hallands kulturhis- Romani craft tradition and shows how it is toriska museum in the south of Sweden.5 part of “all Swedes’ common cultural heri- A great contribution to knowledge about tage and history” (Nilsson, Kaldaras 2018: Roma craft tradition in Sweden was made 99). This dual function is a good definition by the project Romskt hantverk igår, idag, not just of Rosa Taikon’s work, but also of imorgon [Roma craft yesterday, today, to- her importance. 64 BBULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 65

▲ Belt made by Johan Taikon, 1930s. Photo: Torkel Edenborg ▲ Gold and silver breast chain, early 19th century, Photo: Torkel Edenborg 66 BULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 67

However, Romska Smycken. Hantverk, in joint production in which, as Rosa Tai- was Katarina Taikon’s debut book Zige- The civil rights work created increasing 8 2010 Illis quorum meruere labores from the Swedish Government, 2013 tradition och ett sätt att leva does not kon puts it, they carry out what she calls nerska (Taikon 1963) published in 1963. interest in Roma culture and made Ka- Riksskådebanans Culture Prize, 2013 go into detail about the individual mak- "the design elements" and in this pro- This is an autobiographical book that tarina and Rosa Taikon into public figu- , 2014 Doctor Honoris (honorary doctorate) at Södertörn Uni- er and the conditions in which tradi- cess "forms emerge that have never been light on the situation of Roma in Sweden res. versity. tional pieces were made. There are, of sketched on any paper, but literally go as well as on the authorities' ignorance 9 Kungliga biblioteket, Ämbetsarkivet 1661–2012, Handlingar rörande utställ- course, different forms of making. One from hand to hand" (Taikon 1966: 101). of the situation. Subsequently the book ningar och arrangemang 1920–2008, Vo- practice is described in the report Kel- This is a tradition performed through had a huge impact. The same year it was Exhibition at the Nationalmuseum lym F13:18 Förteckning över utställningar 1952–1977. derashgruppens historia och kulturarv a collective act and approved by the par- published, 1963, Karl-Axel Sjöblom’s and i Sverige [History and cultural heritage ticipating older men. In another artic- Roland Hjelte’s documentary Vagabond In 1966, Rosa Taikon made her gallery of the Kalderash group in Sweden] (De- le, she gives an account of the way her eller vanlig människa? [“Vagabond or Or- debut at the Bollmora Library. This was metri, Dimeter-Taikon, Rodell Olgaç 2010: father makes wooden and silver staff by dinary Man?”] was broadcast on nation- an exhibition that, despite being staged 66). This gives an account of how objects himself and the finished product then al television. The program showed the at a library in a suburb, received several were actually made by specific non-Ro- being collectively examined and handed terrible conditions in which the Roma reviews in the daily press. Articles were mani craftsmen. Yet Romska Smycken. over to its owner (Rosa Taikon 1981: 12–13). were still living in Sweden, and it also written about how Rosa Taikon "starts Hantverk, tradition och ett sätt att leva In yet another text she gives an account showed the ignorance of the politicians from old Roma forms and patterns" and provides evidence of Romani craftsmen of watching her father crafting jewellery responsible. "proceeds in her own very independent producing not just for their own group, by himself late at night (Taikon 1969: 14; Katarina and Rosa Taikon fearlessly way" (reviewer unknown: 1967). Another but also on commission for customers see also Taikon 1963: 15). What all these challenged power and institutionalised reviewer, Rebecka Tarchsys, wrote in outside the Roma group (Nilsson, Kalda- accounts give us is the information that racism. During their civil rights cam- Dagens Nyheter, one of Sweden’s major ras 2018, 40). Rosa Taikon gives several the tradition is performed by men, which paigning, the sisters contributed to the newspapers, that in Rosa’s works she different accounts of this production. In makes Rosa Taikon an unusual exception founding of the Zigenarsamfundet [The saw an “educated” continuation of a tra- the article "Konsthantverk, sång, dans, as a woman developing a tradition that Roma Society] in 1964 (Selling 2020: 68). dition and that she did not appreciate musik" Rosa Taikon describes what she up until now had been performed exclu- Among other things, Zigenarsamfundet the modern forms as much as the tradi- states was an event of traditional produ- sively by men. The majority of her jewe- published the magazine Zigenaren: amé tional jewellery. "Educated" here meant ction from the beginning of the 1930s. She llery was made not for her family, but beschás [Journal of the Roma] between trained in the jewellery tradition of the does not describe an actual situation, it for gallery exhibitions, museums, and 1965 and 1973 (Selling 2020, 36). The mag- majority society (Tarschys 1967). The re- is a fiction of a possible event. Despite her many non-Romani customers. She is azine was a platform for discussing con- views document that even before Rosa this, the description gives some insights unique both in relation to the majority temporary politics, for organizing deba- Taikon left Konstfack there was great into how we can understand the work of society’s late modernist jewellery prac- tes, and for writing about history from interest in her art. A smaller exhibition Rosa Taikon in relation to the production tice and in relation to the traditions of a Romani perspective. When Dr Martin was also staged in 1967 at the Royal Li- of her relatives. In the article, she nar- her family. She has participated in, prac- Luther King, Jr visited Norway to recei- brary containing pieces made by Rosa rates a story of some of the men in her ticed and developed two traditions. ve the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, he also Taikon alongside literature and photos family spending an evening practicing came to Sweden to attend a meeting with by Björn Langhammer.9 a craft that had been practiced by them Romani rights activist Katarina Taikon (Mohtadi, 2019: 127–128). In 1969, Rosa Taikon was given an op- for a very long time (Taikon 1966: 100). The 1960s were a time of civic activism portunity to stage a solo exhibition at She tells us how the skilled craftsmen are As part of her degree work at Konst- for housing, for the right to education, the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm. She "working with simple tools", how the men fack, Rosa Taikon made an ornate sil- against structural racism, and activism would produce the exhibition in collabo- were divided into groups in which some ver belt for her sister, Katarina Taikon. about many other issues concerning the ration with her partner, Bernd Janusch, were tinning while others were watching While Rosa was attending Konstfack, lives of Roma (see Mohtadi 2019). This an architect who also had become a jewe- and learning, while a third group, older she and Katarina came to the forefront was a struggle Rosa Taikon would be en- llery artist. Apart from showing his own men, performed more advanced work. of the Romani civil rights movement. gaged in throughout her life. She would jewellery works, Bernd Janusch also de- The older men are, in her story, engaged An important milestone in this process be given several awards for this work.8 signed the exhibition space. 68 BULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 69

The exhibition was, to a large extent,

▲ Poster exhibited in the curated by the artists themselves and “Roma Jewellery Tradition not by the museum. As a result, less focus – Rosa Taikon” exhibition at was placed on Rosa Taikon as an indivi- Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, dual artist in order to give space to Ro- 1969. Photo: Nationalmuse- mani history and the civil rights strug- um, Stockholm gle (Taikon 1969). The exhibition was called “Roma Jewellery Tradition – Rosa The text reads: Taikon”. The title emphasised her family “ are really discriminated against and tradition rather than Rosa Taikon as an lack civil rights, but the con- individual jewellery maker, communicat- sequence of treating them ing Rosa Taikon as an example of a tra- as political refugees would dition rather than emphasising her as be that Romani people from an individual artist. the whole of Europe would, The late 1960s was a period of counter- without exception, migrate to culture in which cultural expression be- Sweden.” came a method of protesting and formu- Kjell Öberg, Director-General lating alternatives to the given order. [of The Swedish Migration Rosa Taikon’s exhibition is a very good agency], citation from the daily newspaper Dagens Ny- example of this movement, as the Natio- porary activism continued alongside heter, 26 September 1969 nalmuseum became a platform for day- a republishing of Katarina Taikon’s ar- -to-day activism. When the exhibition ticle from the exhibition catalogue (Zige- “Despite the number of opened, Rosa and Katarina Taikon were naren: amé beschás, 1969). refugees in the world, in the middle of a campaign to prevent Sweden has not yet protested a group of Roma being deported from An exhibition at Röhsska against any others being Sweden. The activism was visible in the given refugee status - with exhibition at the museum as well as on A few years after the exhibition at the the exception of the Romani posters advertising the exhibition and Nationalmuseum, in 1973, Rosa Taikon people. This condition demonstrates that we are in the exhibition catalogue. Within the and Bernd Janusch’s life changed when dealing here with the racist exhibition, the visitor was confronted by they bought an old schoolhouse in the segregation policy of the satirical political drawings as well as by small village of Flor in the north of Swe- Government.” signs with critical statements about the den. It was a choice they made to be able Katarina Taikon. Swedish immigration agency. Placards to focus even more on their work. The old in the gallery pointed to the inconsisten- schoolhouse was rebuilt by Janusch, who cy and racism of the Swedish state when had a background as an architect, and it it came to the immigration of Roma. became an artwork in and of itself. The In both the exhibition catalogue and ground floor became their workshop, posters, there was a piece demanding and on the upper floor there were ro- asylum for Romani refugees under the oms for the couple to live in. The hou- 1954 Swedish Extradition Act. An issue of se was full of beautiful, precise details ▲ Roma Jewellery Tradition – Rosa Taikon, exhibition at Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 1969. Photo: Nationalmuseum, Stockholm the Zigenaren magazine was published where one could recognise shapes fou- for the exhibition in which that contem- nd in the jewellery work of both artists. 70 BULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 71

10 Conversation with Bernd Ja- It was a unique artists’ house, a gesamt- the 1969 exhibition. The beginning of the 11 S nusch 11 09 2019. kunstwerk, where the house was thought 1980s was a different time, something through and designed in every detail. In that is clear in the brief description of the workshop, the couple created a work- arts and crafts in the Swedish National bench where they would sit and work Encyclopaedia, where the late 1960s and facing each other. For many years they 1970s are defined as a time of question- would work almost in symbiosis. Many ing and community engagement, where- times they even created pieces together. as in the 1980s applied arts “made a co- Their exhibition “Rosa Taikon, Bernd Ja- meback” and the concepts of the exclusi- nusch, Jewellery, Hollowware, Silver” at ve and the personal returned (Dahlbäck, the Röhsska musset [Museum of Design Lutteman 1993: 272). and Craft] in 1983 is a good example of Rosa Taikon’s own writing in the Röhs- their collaboration. ska catalogue is also less explicitly po- litical, as she focuses more on her early Unfortunately, there are no surviving music practice, on her father’s creation images of the exhibition as displayed in of the staff mentioned earlier, and on the the museum, but the catalogue is inter- importance of music and rhythm in her esting in how Rosa Taikon and Bernd work. She also discusses her most com- Janusch chose to exhibit their work, monly-used material, silver, and writes as it differs from how their works were about how she is creating “forms that described in the 1969 exhibition. The 1983 escape explanation in words but rather exhibition had travelled to 13 places be- should be experienced through the sens- fore it arrived at Röhsska, the last place es”. References are made to “the sensu- where it was exhibited. It travelled both alism” in Indian temples (Taikon 1981: in Norway as well as in Sweden, starting 12–14). Rosa Taikon and Bernd Janusch at the Tendenser [Tendencies] event at allowed themselves to be inspired not Gallery F 15 in Moss, Norway, organised only by traditional Romani jewellery, to showcase current Nordic applied arts. but also by forms found in other cultu- The exhibition catalogue begins with res such as India.10 The theme of sensua- an article by the Röhsska musset [Mu- lity was also picked up by the reviewers seum of Design and Craft] director Jan of the exhibition (Fredlund 1983), a fact Brunius in which he focuses rather more that tells us that the beginning of the on the techniques Rosa Taikon used in 1980s is a different time from the politi- creating her jewellery than on her Roma- cally engaged late 1960s, a change that ni background. He gives context to her clearly also influences the staging of most commonly-used techniques, fili- Rosa Taikon’s work. ▲ Detail from the house of Rosa Taikon and Bernd Janusch in the village of Flor. Photo: Peter Hoelstad gree and granulation, placing them in the broader art history of Sweden and Beauty and struggle Europe (Brunius 1981: 6–7). This is one of the rare texts that does actually mention Early in her life, Rosa Taikon went be- her production. The words used to descri- yond the boundaries of the norms of her be her work are somewhat in relation to family. As a woman, she continued a tra- 72 BULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 73

dition that up until her time had been reviewed by big newspapers, and had TV- carried exclusively by men. She would -shows made about her life (Zetterlund develop this tradition by combining it 2017). with contemporary art jewellery dis- The 1969 exhibition at the Nationalmu- course. During her education at Konst- seum took place during the most hectic fack, art jewellery was going through period of Katarina and Rosa Taikon’s ac- a great change, from jewellery as a mi- tivism. It was a time of counterculture, nor object of adornment to jewellery as a perspective that was present in the a platform for subjective expression. way the exhibition was put together, in- This format would define her work, which cluding the staging of contemporary ac- subsequently would alter in relation to tivism alongside the strong educational contemporary influences. She continued aim of the exhibition. Yet the exhibition to develop her jewellery with great in- was also political in another, less direct tegrity and always with a sharp notion way, as it created a contrast between of form while applying details from her the fine craft it exhibited and the many family tradition. pieces presented in the other galleries Rosa Taikon took part in the devel- of the National Museum. The exhibition opment of not just one but two jewellery made it clear how the Romani tradition traditions, Swedish Roma silversmithing was absent from the way in which the alongside late modernist art jewellery. Nationalmuseum chose to define “the Romska smycken: hantverk, tradition nation”. The exhibition presented a ra- och ett sätt att leva describes her positi- dical challenge that has not yet been on well as that of portraying and confirm- answered by the Nationalmuseum – not ing Romani history and tradition while then, and not now. at the same time positioning this tradi- I would argue that the National- tion as part of a common Swedish cul- museum’s approach is an example of tural heritage. This makes her not just a structure present in majority institu- one of the most unique, but also one of tions presenting minority cultures. To the most important jewellery artists in understand this way of narrating minori- Sweden. ty identity, Stuart Hall’s article “Cultu- This uniqueness is clearly not fully ral Identity and Diaspora” is useful. Hall appreciated by national institutions argues for two distinct understandings such as the Nationalmuseum, and they of cultural identity. One identity is de- are not alone- Rosa Taikon is represent- fined as a common cultural identity with ed in just one Swedish textbook on Swe- a shared historical experience and sta- dish jewellery history (Ericsson 1990: 88– ble cultural codes. Against this form of ▲ Detail from the house of Rosa Taikon and Bernd Janusch in the village of Flor. Photo: Peter Hoelstad 90). When she was invited to Konstfack essentializing identity, he proposes a def- to give a lecture in 2013, it was the first inition of identity in which identity is not time since she graduated in 1967 that she something that already exists beyond had been invited back to the school, de- time and place. Hall writes that “[C]ul- spite the fact that she had exhibited her tural identities come from somewhere, work in all the major institutions, been have histories. But, like everything that 74 BULLETIN MUZEA ROMSKÉ KULTURY 28/2019 RECENZOVANÁ ČÁST Beauty and struggle Christina Zetterlund 75

is historical, they undergo constant Resources: ver, In: Göteborgs posten, 10 27. TARSCHYS, Rebecka. 1968 Traditionens transformation” (Hall 1990: 112). Identi- HALL, Stuart. 1990. Cultural identity and tvinnade tråd, Dagens Nyheter 8 novem- ty is a forming process that is related to Archival materials diaspora, In: RUTHEFORD, Jonathan ber (1968). history, or rather histories, but that pri- (ed.). Identity: Community and Cultu- SELLING, Jan. 2020. Frigörelsen, Stockholm: marily is a process of becoming, cultural Kungliga biblioteket, Ämbetsarkivet 1661– re, Difference. London: Lawrence and Carlssons. identity “belongs to the future as much 2012, Handlingar rörande utställnin- Wishart, p. 222–37. ZETTERLUND, Christina. 2017. Taikons kon- as the past” (Hall 1990: 112). A singular gar och arrangemang 1920–2008, Volym HERNMARCK, Carl. 1959. Nutidssmycken, st var en del av hennes kamp, Svenska object in a collection becomes a career F13:18 Förteckning över utställningar Stockholm: Nationalmuseum. dagbladet 06 26 (2017). without a time, without a relation to the 1952–1977 KALDARAS, Erland, NILSSON, Åsa. 2018. Zigenaren: amé beschás, 1969. futures that could change it. Nationalmuseum archive, Stockholm Romska smycken: hantverk, tradition However, through some current, vital Nationalmuseum image archive, Stoc- och ett sätt att leva, Malmö: Romska Internet resources work, the situation is about to change. kholm kulturcentret. Through the important work done by The collection of Rosa Taikon at Hälsin- MOHTADI, Lawen. 2019. The Day I am Free, https://digitaltmuseum.se/search/?aq=- the Roma Culture Centre in Malmö, gland’s museum, Hälsingland Museum, Berlin: Sternberg Press. topic%3A%22Romsk%20histo- the knowledge of one of the traditions Hudiksvall OKÄND. 1966. Zigenarsmycken i silversmide. ria%22 & o=0 & n=80 [retrieved 2020-04- that Rosa Taikon refers to is being fur- In: Svenska dagbladet 8 november 10] thered. Perhaps the most important ef- Literature (1966). https://digitaltmuseum.se/011013840606/ fort in strengthening the reception of RODELL OLGAÇ, 2013 The Education of romskt-diklosmycke-av-guld-och-ste- Rosa Taikon’s work by the majority so- BRUNIUS, Jan. 1981. Rosa Taikon och Ber- Roma in Sweden: an interplay between nar-diklo-ar-den-huvudduk-som-bars-av ciety is being done at the Hälsinglands nd Janusch – om två silverkonstnärer. policy and practice”, In: HORNBERG, Sa- [retrieved 2020-04-10] Museum. Building the Rosa Taikon Ar- In Rosa Taikon, Bernd Janusch: smyc- bine, BRÜGGEMANN, Christian (ed.), Die https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024191676/zi- chive allows for current knowledge pro- kekonst, corpus, silver. Gothenburg: Bildungssituation von Roma in Europa. genarbalte [retrieved 2020-04-10] duction about this imaginative, precise, Röhsska museet. Munster: Waxmann Verlag Studien zur http://www.rkcmalmo.se/page/hantverk/ and complex artist and opens up room CALDARAS, Hans. 2002. I betraktarens International und Interkulturell Ver- [retrieved 2020-04-10] for future research projects. ögon, Stockholm: Prisma. gleichenden Erziehungswissenschaft, DAHLBÄCK LUTTEMAN, Helena. 1993. Kon- p. 197–214). sthantverk, Nationalencyklopedin, 11, TAIKON, Katarina. 1963. Zigenerska, Stoc- Höganäs: Bokförlaget Bra Böcker. kholm: Wahlström & Widstrand.TAIKON, ERICSSON, Ann-Marie. 1990. Svensk smyc- Katarina. 1969 kekonst från jugend till postmoder- Ett förföljt folk, Zigensk smycketradition. nism, Västerås: Ica Bokförlag, 1990. Stockholm: Nationalmuseum. DEMETRI, Mikael, DIMITE–TAIKON, Angeli- TAIKON, Rosa. 1996. Konsthantverk, sång, na, RODELL OLGAÇ, Christina. 2010. Kel- dans, musik. Något om zigenarnas derashgruppens historia och kulturarv kulturarv, Sociala Meddelanden, 3–4, i Sverige – en intervjustudie for Delega- (1966), p. 100-106. tionen for romska fragor. Stockholm: TAIKON, Rosa. 1969. Fars arbeten, Zigensk Rapport Delegationen för Romska frå- smykestradition. Rosa Taikon, Stoc- gor kholm: Nationalmuseum, p. 14–16. FERNSTÅL, Lotta, HYLTEN-CAVALLIUS, TAIKON, Rosa. 1981. Form och rörelse, In: Charlotte. 2018. Romska liv och platser, TAIKON, Rosa, JANUSCH, Bernd. Smyc- Stockholm: Stockholmia förlag. kekonst, corpus, silver, Gothenburg: FREDLUND, Cathrine. 1981. Sensualism i sil- Röhsska museet, p. 11–14.