What are buro artists doing in Romani land?
Economic hardship and disability sent Matthias Stoltenberg (1799–1871) wandering through Romani land. He painted in exchange for food and shelter, though he was “not received as a vagrant.”
Adolph Tidemand (1814–1876) portrayed the farmer as the bearer of Norwegian identity. The Traveller stood in contrast to the settled farmer — the “buro”, in the Norwegian Romani language.
Nils Rundgren (1890–1971) — upper-class kid and drifter, wandered through Romani land on both sides of the Swedish–Norwegian border. His imagery features fantastic creatures and flying wheels — which he called “tjabovinklar” (“tjabo” being a loanword from Romani).
Lillebet Foss (1930–2017) created her first known horse picture in 1952 — the same year Norwegian authorities confiscated the horses that had long been the lifeblood of Traveller culture.
Visit the archive’s website for opening hours.
Curated by: Anders Nordby, Ellef Prestsæter, and Martin Sæther.