These portraits of young Roma girls aged between 7 and 15 years were taken in gipsy suburbs of Belgrade, Serbia in 2007 and 2008.
Čarolije is a Serbian word that literally translates to magic. In this specific context, čarolije refers to the charm, charisma and aura.
The appearance and posture of these ladies directly refer to the photographs of fashion magazines. This avoids the stereotypes of photo-reports on the representation of Gypsy minorities (poor living conditions, poverty, discrimination, etc.). The artist highlights the paradox of fashion photography, elitism and glamor, confronted with the natural and magical beauty of these Roma girls. The game continues with the choice to use natural light and imperfect decorations (badly ironed, badly placed sheets, etc.) in order to emphasize the fact that these are not real fashion photos but portraits taken in a improvised studio in the courts of their houses.
" The main aim of this project was to make the connection between these girls and artistic realization. They were asked to be photographed in the way they wanted to see themselves by choosing their clothes, background cloth, make up and accessories".
Questions of nation, ethnicity and religion, particularly in the regions of the former Yugoslavia are still bordering on taboo, and photographing the Roma population, as a community which is only partially integrated into these societies is a thematic often exploited through stereotypes. The novelty that the artist brings with her work is precisely to transpose young Roma girls into the glamor of the fashion world, she thus proposes to question herself by addressing elements of reflection on the proposed theme.
These young girls are still unmarried, so they were allowed from their community to be photographed in this way, which makes them, and the project as a whole, even more exclusive.