Real life Romanian beggars used as props in controversial art exhibit

Two Romanian beggars sat quietly face-to-face in an exhibit where they were used as the main piece of attraction. In the popular Sweden museum of Malmo Konsthall, the two were told to "act" as if they were still begging.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - "The poverty came so close. It bothered me," said Ann-Margret Oftedal, a visitor disturbed by the exhibit.

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The two beggars were identified as Luca Lacatus, a 28-year-old migrant from northern Romania and his 26-year-old girlfriend Marcella Cheresi. They explained they were approached while fixing their house that was destroyed by a harsh blizzard two years ago. They also said that they preferred the job over begging on the streets, because people inside tend to be nicer to them.

According to the artistic director Anders Carlsson, the exhibit was actually geared towards making the Swedish people look into the way they perceive the act of street begging. However, it turned out as offensive and uncomfortable for some visitors who came to see the exhibit.

Carlsson said he just "wanted to provide people with an artificial space where they can question their own attitudes and why they continue to pervasively tolerate injustice in the society." These, according to Carlsson, are the very things that violate their own human morals.

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Critics, however, interpreted the art differently. What they saw was an imposing exploitation towards the middle class who have very little power to change the system.

According to them, this form of art contributes very little to the current Swedish debate on the best way to help the poor Romanian migrants.

Aaron Israelson, an editor of a magazine sold by the homeless, felt like he was actually part of the exhibit. He said that it is not just about the miserable begging situation that was visualized but also the reaction of the visitors who came to see the exhibit.

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