Ceija Stojka's Naïve Expressionism at The Drawing Center
The Drawing Center presents a solo exhibition of Ceija Stojka (1933–2013), a Romani artist who survived Nazi concentration camps. Stojka, born to Lovari Roma horse traders in southern Austria, later settled in Vienna as a rug dealer. Her 1988 memoir of camp survival caused a sensation in Austria, leading her to create vivid drawings and paintings of her memories. The works combine naïve expressionist gusto with harrowing subject matter—barbed wire, skeletal prisoners, and grinning Nazi soldiers. Stojka's color application has the intuitive force of folk song, while her caricatures recall George Grosz or Quentin Blake. The exhibition runs through June 7 at 35 Wooster Street. A key ink drawing, "Final liquidation in Auschwitz, August 1944. We fell through their nets," depicts Nazi soldiers looming over inmates beneath a bright yellow sun.
Key facts
- Ceija Stojka (1933–2013) was a Romani artist and Holocaust survivor.
- She was born to Lovari Roma horse traders in southern Austria.
- She settled in Vienna and worked as a rug dealer.
- Her 1988 memoir of surviving Nazi camps caused a sensation in Austria.
- She began making drawings and paintings after the memoir's publication.
- Her style is described as naïve expressionist, with influences from George Grosz and Quentin Blake.
- The exhibition is at The Drawing Center, 35 Wooster Street, through June 7.
- A key work is titled 'Final liquidation in Auschwitz, August 1944. We fell through their nets.'
Entities
Artists
- Ceija Stojka
- George Grosz
- Quentin Blake
Institutions
- The Drawing Center
- Artists Rights Society (ARS)
- Bildrecht
- Wien Museum
Locations
- Austria
- Vienna
- New York
- 35 Wooster Street
- Auschwitz