Panel discussion and artist talk: Małgorzata Mirga-Tas. An Alternative History
On 18 February 2026, the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg hosted a public panel discussion followed by an artist talk within the framework of the exhibition Małgorzata Mirga-Tas. An Alternative History. In dialogue with curator Andreas Beitin and Dr. Anna Mirga-Kruszelnicka, Executive Director of ERIAC, Małgorzata Mirga-Tas reflected on the urgency of reclaiming Roma narration within European cultural history. The discussion centred on the current social situation of Sinti and Roma in Europe, the persistence of anti Roma discrimination, and the responsibility of cultural institutions to create space for self-representation.
A key theme of the evening was the interweaving of family stories with local and transnational histories. The speakers emphasised the importance of inserting Roma perspectives into dominant narratives shaped by centuries of silence and structural absence. Mirga-Tas described her practice as an act of self narration, shifting the point of view from the externally imposed image to one articulated from within the community.
Particular attention was given to the ongoing Herstory series. In Wolfsburg, currently exhibited textile portraits honour contemporary cultural figures such as film director and actress Alina Șerban from Romania, media theorist Dr Maria Bogdan from Hungary, Berlin based artist Luna De Rosa, and designers Erika and Helena Varga of Romani Design. These were presented alongside tributes to Romani elders including Ceija Stojka or Alfreda Markowska <<Noncia>>.
The discussion unfolded within the installation of Re-enchanting the World, first presented at the Polish Pavilion of the Venice Biennale in 2022. In this series, Mirga-Tas revisits canonical themes of European art history and reimagines them from a Roma perspective. Universal allegories are re-narrated through lived community experience, shifting the gaze from representation by others to self-articulation.
RomaMoMA Nomadic Library in Wolfsburg
A dedicated section of the exhibition is reserved for the RomaMoMA Nomadic Library, separated by a large transparent textile by Mirga-Tas functioning as a curtain like architectural element. It is a space for consultation and learning, where the books are displayed on Adjacent, a mobile knowledge device conceived by British-Romani artist Daniel Baker, reinforcing the idea of knowledge as mobile, accessible, and collectively constructed.
It is notable that this was not the first time the RomaMoMA Nomadic Library featured in an exhibition recognised by AICA, which recognises exhibitions that set benchmarks in curatorial vision and societal relevance. In 2023, Handle with Care at the Ludwig Museum – Museum of Contemporary Art in Budapest received the AICA award for Exhibition of the Year, curated by Viktória Popovics and Rita Dabi-Farkas, with Romani Design creating an outstanding library installation. In Wolfsburg, the exhibition was honoured in the category of Special Exhibition of the Year 2025.
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- Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, ©Marek_Kruszewski
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- Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, ©Martin Ly
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- Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, ©Marek_Kruszewski
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- Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, ©Marek_Kruszewski
AICA recognition for Special Exhibition 2025
The AICA distinction confirms the significance of presenting Mirga-Tas’ first major solo exhibition in Germany in an expanded form, following earlier iterations at the Kunstmuseum Luzern and the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter.
By situating Roma self narration at the centre of its galleries and framing it through dialogue, research, and institutional collaboration, the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg has contributed to a broader reorientation of cultural memory. The recognition by AICA acknowledges not only curatorial excellence, but also the exhibition’s societal relevance in a time marked by renewed debates on belonging, representation, and democratic participation in Europe.
More information here:
https://www.kunstmuseum.de/en/2026/02/aica-deutschland-zeichnet-kunstmuseum-wolfsburg-aus/