Lupta Femeilor - Women’s Fight

"Lupta Femeilor - Women's Fight" is an impactful art project that emerged from the aspirations of a group of Roma women who migrated from Eastern Europe to Finland. At its core, this project aimed to challenge prevailing stereotypes and present a multidimensional portrayal of Roma women, who are often unjustly perceived as victims or criminals. These resilient women not only face discrimination, inequality, and dire poverty within their own community but also encounter similar challenges in their adopted home of Finland.

Embracing an inclusive and self-directed approach, we embarked on a collaborative journey with this group of seven women. From the outset, it became evident that these women sought to share their personal narratives and be recognized in a fresh light within Finnish society. Guided by these objectives and working closely with producer Anna Miettinen, we embarked on an artistic endeavor that would amplify their voices.

The project derived its name, "Lupta Femeilor," from the women of the working group themselves. Translated from Romanian, it signifies the fight and struggle of women. Through their stories, we gained insight into their sacrifices for their children, their pursuit of a better future for the next generation, the discrimination they faced within their own cultural context, and the pervasive presence of violence in their daily lives. To bridge cultural gaps and foster self-awareness and autonomy, we organized workshops throughout the fall of 2018 and early 2019. Leveraging art-based methods was instrumental in accommodating the varying literacy levels of the project's participants, as five out of the seven women were illiterate.

The realization of the "Lupta Femeilor" project was made possible through a collaborative effort involving the Hirundo Center and the Helsinki Deaconess Institute. These organizations provide invaluable support to mobile individuals within the European Union, further underscoring the significance and impact of this art initiative.

Exhibitions

The art works of this project are seven portraits, photographs taken by the working group’s Roma women and a short film.

The project has been exhibited in

Gallery Caisa, Helsinki, Finland, 2019

Vantaa Art Museum Artsi, Vantaa Finland, 2020

The Ostrobothnian Photography Centre (POVA), Lapua, Finland, 2021

Working group

Artist & director Katriina Haikala, Producer Anna Miettinen, Documentarist Uupi Tirronen, Cinematographer Alex Alex, Editor Petri Krook, Dima Elena, Ioana Silion, Gina Stanescu, Gabriela Bancuta, Rodica Isabela Avram, Dinu Mariana and Maria Caldarar. 

In collaboration with: Hirundo-center / Helsinki Deaconess Institute, Anca Enache, Delia Manea and Maria Dorofte.

Press

Helsingin Sanomat 6.10.2019

Kansan Uutiset 12.10.2019