2021 – Oil, 76cm x 76 cm
László Bogdán
I can’t remember how I came across the story of László Bogdán but it stuck with me. László was elected mayor of the small Roma village of Cserdi in Hungary in 2006 and tragically committed suicide in July 2020. He had worked ceaselessly to transform the lives of the Roma people. You can find out more about him on these sites:
Famous Roma Rights Activist László Bogdán Has Passed Away – Romea.cz
OBITUARY: An Ambassador recalls Laszlo Bogdan – Romea.cz
I was particularly struck by the poignant monument in Cserdi to those who were killed in Auschwitz. It is a small relief, made real by train rails that lead up to it.
See the Holocaust Memorial cserdi hungary – Bing images
Why bother to paint? is a question I often ask myself especially when I find it so challenging. After all, there are enough paintings around already and enough people who are dedicated to ‘art’! Furthermore, as I have said before, I am slow in transforming a moment of real-life into something I think worth looking at. However, this grabbed me and I needed to ‘have a go’.