Štefi, 10 DAYS FREE is a documentary film about a prisoner we met during a cultural visit to a prison, where he caught our attention with his guitar and singing skills. We promised to help him pursue his dream and support his return to everyday life. Shortly after completing his sentence, he was free for only ten days before he had to begin serving another sentence.
During those ten days, we filmed together and recorded songs that he had written and performed around Trnávka more than twenty years ago.
Screenshots from the movie „Stefi, 10 days free“
Installation during the exhibition „Dym a zrkadlá“ at Pálffyho palác in Bratislava, Slovakia (20.11.2025 – 5.4.2026)
In collaboration with ROMA SPORT, we organized an event on the occasion of “Victory over Fascism Day,” where we combined Roma culture and sport. A 10 km run was held, with over 40 participants taking part. Later, both participants and the audience enjoyed a concert at the Flace store, featuring performances by the rap group 13K, followed by the Roma music group Kuky Band. Additionally, musicians from the conservatory joined with live instruments (violin, cimbalom, vocals). During the evening, this resulted in an outstanding fusion of rap and Roma music. This moment went viral online, and later 13K and Kuky Band recorded an official version of the song thanks to this collaboration.
For the event, with KUKY BAND we also remixed six rap hits in Roma versions, which were performed for the first time at the event, and we also filmed a music video for them on the spot.
For the event, with KUKY BAND we also remixed six rap hits in Roma versions, which were performed for the first time at the event, and we also filmed a music video for them on the spot.
Sohy Laci (Wassup Larry) is a 3D character developed during a residency in Târgu Mureș, Romania, based on the artist’s personal body scan. The work emerged as a response to moments of solitude, with the character serving as a digital companion within an isolated environment.
Extending beyond a static object, Sohy Laci was transformed into an interactive Instagram filter, allowing friends to incorporate the character into their own videos and spontaneous digital scenarios. Alongside this, the artist constructed a fictional narrative in which Sohy Laci exists as a double who has escaped into the world. Viewers are invited to “spot” and document him, while being cautioned that the figure they encounter is not the artist himself.
Blurring the boundaries between presence and simulation, intimacy and humor, the project operates both as a personal coping mechanism and a participatory artwork.
Slowly is a video performance Norbert recorded in the residency studio. On the left side of the two-channel video, we see him reading one by one, removing the Romanian – Hungarian translations of the work left behind by the previous resident, and then leaving spaces to emerge in the right-hand image, where sticky paper cels inscribed with the corresponding Romani translations are placed on the wall. The long process creates a time-based Hungarian (Romanian) – Romani lexicon. Visually, the Romanian – Hungarian set is almost completely integrated into the set of Romani inscriptions.
Why is translation important? More than simple linguistic pairing, it is a culturally encoded process of transformation, characterized by openness to other cultures and a continuous dialogue. Furthermore, it is worth considering the stratification of the Romani language, which consists of a stable layer of words from the period of European immigration, followed by a mobile vocabulary resulting from the interaction of migrating Roma groups with different linguistic areas, and finally a third layer of words that emerge as a result of modernization and globalization. Through these different interactions, Romani is constantly evolving, growing, and “mixing” so to speak, ensuring that a universal version is not viable, but can only function as a convention code in certain areas. Some Romani language variants do not have words for certain concepts due to the fact that they are not known by the users, are extinct or never existed. This is when what Norbert calls “romanization” occurs, and the user takes words from the source or majority language and adapts them to Romani.
Norbert Kuki’s Slowly is more than two and a half hours long, and to watch it in its entirety requires an open mind, time, and patience. It is a different experience for those who fully watch it and those who only see part of it, and for those who know Romani and those who don’t. Even if we do not strive for a complete understanding, the image settles in us, as the artist walks between the two wall surfaces/language areas, trying to bridge the cultural differences in his translation, appropriate the context, and add something to it.
Although four weeks of residency do not allow for a more in-depth acquaintance with the host environment, it can be inspiring for both artist and audience. This certainly seems to be true for Norbert, who wants to continue the translation work he has begun and is thinking of creating an international database involving young Roma people.
Text by: Angel Judit
Screenshots from the movie LOKE/SLOWLY
Installation during the exhibition „B5 Artist Residence Programme“ at Magma – Contemporary Medium in Sfântu-Gheorghe, Covasna, Romania(07.02. – 28.03.2025)
The aim of the project is to uncover different layers of Roma culture for society and to look for new ways of retelling its stories. The author relies on one of the Roma legends, in which the Roma stole a nail from the bleeding palm of Jesus during his crucifixion, therefore they were condemned to eternal wandering around the world. He explored this wandering from different angles, searched in several layers of culture, but finally decided to focus on the most intimate part – The language. The Romani language is not stable, it is always traveling and developing. It is even debated which form of it is the right one and which should be used.
Screenshots from the movie “Philosophy of Vagrancy”
The brand “Polo Cigán” (Now „ROMA SPORT“) is a streetwear brand built on the principle of pastiche, using parody and appropriation to cleverly provoke society while acting as its distorted mirror. Through its designs, the brand references social issues and adopts a critical stance toward certain norms and trends. It combines art, fashion, and social awareness to spark discussion and encourage reflection within society.
In this collaboration, we took the logo of the old-school rap group Public Enemy and replaced it with the text POLO CIGAN. The silhouette of the rapper in the crosshair was replaced with the silhouette of MUDr. Ján Cibula.
Through these simple symbols, we aimed to foreground MUDr. Ján Cibula, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate whose achievements were suppressed by the government at the time. He was also the initiator of the first Roma Congress. With this collection, we sought to integrate activism into streetwear and raise public awareness of successful Roma figures.
As part of the collaboration, in addition to T-shirts, we also produced screen-printed prints, stickers, and “c-word pass” certificates.
In the video art piece, the artist provides insights into the complexities of Romani culture, Romani identity, and the intricate social dynamics that underpin the community. The artwork establishes narrative tension by incorporating a renowned Romani joke: "Two Roma are arguing who is the bigger Roma," shedding light on the constant struggle for supremacy and the tensions arising from comparisons and confrontations within the community. This work delves into some of the most compelling incidents, highlighting the intricacies of Romani identity and social dynamics. The artist strives to establish an authentic and intimate dialogue with Romani culture, fostering a personal connection through the exclusive use of the Romani language (Romanes, SouthWest Slovakian Romungro dialect) within the artwork. Through this approach, the artist aims to engage the Romani community in a personal dialogue, addressing the persisting hostility and urging for greater openness to the world regarding their challenges and issues.
Installation during the exhibition „Scooter VI“ at Galéria Jána Koniarika in Trnava (10. 05. – 08. 09. 2024)
Installation during the exhibition „FJÚŽN“ at The Pisztory Palace in Bratislava (20.09 – 28.09.2024)
Banner from „Screening of films on the occasion of International Roma Day“ at Amnesty International in Bratislava (08. 04. 2024)
Budapest, 2023. október 18.
Kiállítók installálják a mûalkotásokat a 13. Art Market Budapest kortárs képzõmûvészeti vásár megnyitója elõtt a Bálna Budapestben 2023. október 18-án. A rendezvényen négy kontinens harminc országából mintegy száz mûvészeti galéria, intézmény és egyéb kiállító mutatkozik be.
MTI/Balogh Zoltán
Installation during Art Market Budapest (19. 10 – 22.10. 2023)
Installation during the Studio Intermedia (Academy of Fine Arts) department presentation at Synagogue – Centre of Contemporary Art in Trnava (25.05.2023)
Instalation during VSVU Prieskum (19. 05. – 21. 05. 2023)
I wanted to invite the listener into my world and show him in a playful way that tears of happiness can be shed despite difficulties. I wanted to show how tragedy can be closely linked with comedy and simply reflect contemporary Roma culture without censorship.
The work “Island” is a continuation of the “Children of Untouchability” project, where the author deals with issues of identity and belonging. The author takes us for a short walk in his neighborhood and puts us in a situation that will change our world.
The work, “Children of Untouchability,” consists of a self-portrait and an author’s Slam Poetry audio recording. These media communicate, and the portrait confirms the idea and quotes the text that “we are not children of untouchability. We are not untouchable.“
Installation during the exhibition „Openness“ at Arta, Piešťany (15. 12. – 15. 02. 2021)
