Małgorzata Mirga-Tas at the Whitworth

The Whitworth welcomes the work of Polish-Romani artist Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, one of the most important textile artists working today.

The exhibition gathers a cross-section of her oeuvre, from large-scale portrait series to smaller, more colourful ‘tapestries’ displayed on folding screens. Taking place across two galleries, the smaller space is exploding with vibrant pattern and colour, while Gallery 5 houses larger yet more subdued pieces. Scattered between them are textiles from the Whitworth collection, showcasing them from a new, nomadic-centric perspective.

Mirga-Tas’ chosen medium is what she calls textile collages (also described by the artist as relief sculptures or textile paintings). She uses pieces of fabric to arrange compositions which usually depict particular characters and scenes, both from the daily lives of her community or historical figures significant to Roma culture. 

Working with a small group of seamstresses, she often uses materials collected from, and gifted by, friends and family. This is in part due to concerns about sustainability but perhaps more importantly, it also imbues the works with personal objects of the person being depicted, whether it’s their clothes or pieces of jewellery. These “microcarriers of history” tenderly capture everyday moments, and usually focus on women – they’re created with a feminist perspective but with consideration of Roma traditions.

The series, Siukar Manusia (meaning ‘great’ or ‘wonderful people’) depicts figures who are personally significant to the artist: Roma activists, musicians and survivors of the Porajmos (the Nazi-German genocide of the Roma). The bright figures are set against a deep blue background to symbolise them coming out of obscurity – their stories are shared with the dignity they deserve, preserving them from being forgotten.

Mirga-Tas was the first Roma artist to represent any country at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022. For the Polish Pavilion, she created Re-enchanting the World (2022), a set of monumental textile collages presenting the history, mythology and customs of the Roma people. 

Małgorzata Mirga-Tas is organised by Tate St Ives in collaboration with the Whitworth.