SZOMORA KÁLMÁN

I was born in 1938 in Salgótarján into a working-class family. My father finished the usual six grades of elementary school, even though he was roma, and went to a public school where he learned the shoemaker's trade and how to make shoe uppers. After finishing eight-grade elementary school I attended a high school for two years, but our difficult financial situation forced me to stop studying. I finally learned the iron turner's trade which I still continue to practice. We had five children. My eldest son graduated from high school, the other boy became a turner like me. I would like all my children to study, because knowledge is power.

I have been doing woodcuts for a quarter of a century. Since 1979 I have participated several times at the national miners' woodcutter camps and exhibitions in Tatabánya. At the camps we always got rewards, and the ten days we were there were spent in love and understanding. I showed my cuts at several exhibitions, and had three individual shows at my work place, the OBV factory in Salgótarján. At an amateur exhibit in 1988 I won the price of the Coal Miners' Trust of Nógrád county.

In 1989 I was invited to the Summer Art Camp in Tokaj, and I continued to attend it each year afterwards, which helped my artistic development a great deal.

From 1989 I have been involved in the Roma Art Camp as well. I also attended the National Woodcutter Camp several times.

I participated at the group exhibition for roma artists, including the Ethnography Museum in Budapest (1989); the János Balázs Gallery (1993); and Gellért Hotel (1994).

My sculptures were also shown at the Second Festival of European Minorities in Baja (1994).