Roma of Sintesti

Written By Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert

I read today that philanthropist George Soros, founder of the Open Society Foundations, has received the European Civil Rights Prize of the Sinti and Roma, and this made me think back to the inclusion of my photography from my ‘Roma of Sintesti’ project in the first ‘Moving Walls’ exhibition at the Open Society Foundation in New York, in 1998-99. The exhibition seems a long time ago now!

I post here a few installation photographs of that exhibition, from 1998-99.

Black and white photograph depicting 4 framed photographs of Roma, on a wall, with blurred people in the background of the image.

Installation view of ‘Moving Walls 1’, at Open Society Foundations, New York 1998-99, showing images from my ‘Roma of Sintesti’ project. ©Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert.

Black and white photograph depicting a photographic exhibition, with people in foreground.

Installation view of ‘Moving Walls 1’, at Open Society Foundations, New York 1998-99, showing images from my ‘Roma of Sintesti’ project. ©Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert.

From the Open Society Foundation’s Instagram where I read the news: “The European Civil Rights Prize of the Sinti and Roma award recognizes Mr. Soros’s decades-long commitment to advancing the rights, dignity, and empowerment of Roma communities across Europe, and is given in memory of Holocaust survivors and pioneers of the Roma civil rights movement, Oskar and Vinzenz Rose and endowed by the leading German charitable foundation, Manfred Lautenschläger Foundation.

Alex Soros, George Soros’s son and Open Society Board Chair, accepted the award today on his father’s behalf at a ceremony in Berlin, Germany.

“The Roma have endured centuries of discrimination and marginalization, rooted in a long history of violence—from the Holocaust to forced sterilization, child removals, and evictions. These injustices continue to resurface, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, when Roma fleeing the war in Ukraine faced barriers to shelter and aid. I’ve always believed that open societies must protect the rights of all people—especially those who are excluded. Working alongside Roma leaders and communities has been one of the most meaningful parts of my life’s work,” George Soros reflected on his long-standing relationship with the Roma community.”

Installation view of ‘Moving Walls 1’, at Open Society Foundations, New York 1998-99, showing images from my ‘Roma of Sintesti’ project. ©Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert.

Black and white frames photographs hang on white office walls, as an exhibition, and in background two people slightly out of focus.

Installation view of ‘Moving Walls 1’, at Open Society Foundations, New York 1998-99, showing images from my ‘Roma of Sintesti’ project. ©Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert.

Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert
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