These documentary-style comic books present the stories of three Czech and Slovak Roma. Each book, same as its characters, differs in its content, as well as structure and artistic treatment. What brings them together is the effort of the authors to convey their impressions – through images and words – from the meetings with these three extraordinary personalities.
The project was initiated by Markéta Hajská and Máša Bořkovcová who felt the need to express their experiences with the Roma in a way that would be different to research reports or resources for often antithetical theories they had done previously. The idea was borne to create a comic book that draws from the lives of real people and is thus a stylized document. Subsequently, Hajská and Bořkovcová approached Vojtěch Mašek for whom it was the first non-fiction endeavour as a comic book author.
The creators of the project proceeded in the same vein as a documentary maker or writer who works with collected material. The particular comic books were based on footage – sound recordings and photographs - made during visiting the main characters. In an effort to create the most authentic depiction of their stories, Hajská and Bořkovcová tried to unify the visual and the textual parts. It is not, however, an objective portrayal of a particular situation. The authors were influenced by their relationship with the characters placing an emphasis on their world views and attitudes.
Contact
Karolina Voňková
T 775 284 185
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web: www.monstrkabaret.cz
web: www.astasme.cz
