Thomas Heller – Between Worlds

Portraits of the Roma

Family photographs are more than just mementos. They tell stories of belonging, everyday life and identity. For many generations, they have served as the visual memories of people bound by family ties, shaping the narrative of their own origins.

The analogue photographs on display in this exhibition build on this tradition. Taken by Thomas Heller with a Rolleiflex camera and printed on silver gelatine paper, the images are reminiscent of family albums from days long past. At the centre of the images are families outdoors, dressed in everyday clothes or festive attire: Romanian Roma. Between 2015 and 2023, the photographer Thomas Heller undertook journeys to Romania lasting several months. Through contacts with Transylvanian Saxons, who have lived in symbiosis with the Roma for centuries, he gained access to communities that are otherwise inaccessible.

For centuries, the Roma in Europe have been subjected to exclusion, persecution and racist stereotyping. Their lived realities are often portrayed through clichéd images. These family portraits offer a counterpoint to this: they show people in their personal relationships, in their authenticity and individuality. They bring to light what social prejudices often hide: family life, dignity, solidarity and the desire for recognition.

With the kind support of the Ostdeutsche Sparkassen Stiftungand the Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden. Mit freundlicher Unterstützung durch die  und die . The “Galerie nEUROPA” project is funded by the Saxon State Ministry for Social Affairs, Health and Social Cohesion. This initiative is co-financed by taxpayers’ money on the basis of the budget adopted by the Saxon State Parliament as part of the “Wir für Sachsen” funding programme.