Holocaust: memorial and forgetting

We first showed the animated textwork BRING LIGHT TOWARDS YOU at Piccadilly Railway Station in Manchester on Holocaust Memorial Day 2009. The piece is made of short poetic texts, memory fragments – they describe train journeys, recollected by holocaust survivors. This year, the BBC offered to run the whole sequence of ten 30-second films on their Big Screen in The Triangle, the posh heart of Manchester shopping. It felt like a strange and interesting juxtaposition, we agreed, on a busy English street (around 50000 people walk past everyday) next to a sign saying The Triangle.

The piece will be on view for ten days in all, dotted amongst news and weather reportage, trailers for the London Olympics and a smatter of other little experimental films. Some of BRING LIGHT TOWARDS YOU couldn't be shown at the railway station in 2009 - a reference to people throwing themselves on electric fences, for instance - so this is a first for the complete set. If you've time, go see. It's the oddest, saddest thing to be surrounded by the iconography of comfort-thru-shopping and at the same to be told 'RUN' 'ESCAPE' 'THE SS' – the signs whispering a past that's far beyond our normal edges.

For a long while I stopped reading about the holocaust: it gave off such hopelessness. Not only were the events themselves staggering acts of brutality, any attempt by me to reconcile them with understanding, let alone optimism, completely failed. The history makes a piece like BRING LIGHT TOWARDS YOU a shadow of a shadow. How can you understand this? Perhaps for most of us Holocaust Memorial is only ever a gesture of sympathy, rather than empathy.

When Lois and I went to photograph the piece on Holocaust Memorial Day this year, the air was ice – a viciously cold morning. People hunched by, deep in their coats. The jagged little war-stories onscreen seemed utterly out of place, like dreams. I thought about one of the holocaust survivors we worked with, a woman with profound memory lapses. She had been in Auschwitz, alongside her sister. The girls couldn't acknowledge one another; to do so would have meant one of them being killed. The guards wouldn't allow support networks like family to exist in the camps. So she became used to burying the truth. Decades later, this woman would have intense moments of lucidity while she worked with us and details of her experience would flare. But even as she revisited her memories, they erased themselves, a kind of self-anaesthetic.

I remember her saying: “I was there. I was in a camp...” and the rest of it was excised from her own mind before the next sentence was out of her mouth.

(Sections from BRING LIGHT TOWARDS YOU are shown approximately every half hour on the BBC Big Screen at The Triangle in Exchange Square, Manchester UK. There is seating directly opposite the screen, the piece is also visible from the cafes in Selfridges and Next. The 10 day run started on 27th January 2011. See also flickr site images from 2009 and 2011 at http://www.flickr.com

Wave us goodbye: Manchester commemorates the Holocaust (press release)

Poetry films on the BBC Big Screen in Manchester will commemorate the Holocaust, bringing together the memories of older Jewish people. 

The project, titled BRING LIGHT TOWARDS YOU, is one of many arts projects run by the arthur+martha arts organisation. In the build-up to Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January, poetic texts created by the older people, many of whom are Holocaust survivors, will be displayed ‘in lights’ on the Screen at The Triangle in the city centre. 

  

The Holocaust has often been linked to trains: millions of people, particularly Jews, were taken to concentration camps by train before being killed in the notorious Nazi ‘Final Solution’ during the Second World War. These 30-second films give fragments from accounts of their journeys: to destruction and journeys of escape.  

Artist Lois Blackburn and poet Philip Davenport worked with older Jewish people living at The Morris Feinmann Home, Manchester, exploring issues related to the Holocaust. “To hear these stories has been a powerful, haunting experience,” said Davenport. “The poems are little pockets of emotion that bring alive one of the most notorious events in  recent history. It's hard to imagine the reality of the Holocaust because it was so huge, so brutal. What these tiny moments of remembering do is connect to ordinary people's experience.” 

Lois Blackburn added: “As in all our projects, we talked to people about the small details of their experience, because it is people’s everyday lives that collectively make history. It’s the sandwiches your mum made, or the look on your sister’s face as you said goodbye. The fact that we’ve been able to help people transform these memories into messages that will be seen my thousands is an extraordinary privilege.”

Maria Turner, Activities Co-ordinator at the Morris Feinmann Home, described arthur+martha’s work as: “Sensitive and caring.” 

Some of the pieces were shown on the electronic billboard in Piccadilly Railway Station on Holocaust Memorial Day 2009, but this is the first time that the whole sequence has been seen. arthur+martha have continued to develop the project in partnership with Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, working with young people with special needs, Roma children and many others.

Funding for the project came from Sparks: The Clore Jewish Development Fund. arthur+martha are regularly supported by Arts Council England.

THE FULL SEQUENCE OF TEXT ANIMATIONS CAN BE VIEWED AT http://www.arthur-and-martha.co.uk/pages/kindness%20samples.htm

- Ends - 

Contact:

www.arthur-and-martha.co.uk 

    

Notes to editors: 

  

Holocaust Memorial Day 

• In November 2005, the United Nations established Holocaust Memorial Day as a day of remembrance across the World 

• Further information can be found by visiting www.hmd.org.uk 

• The theme for HMD 2011 is Untold Stories, which recognises that there are millions of stories that we will never know because they have been lost forever due to the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.

Bring Light Towards You

We're putting the final touches to our annual report at the moment, we've been re- gathering quotes from participants and audiences...

Bring Light Towards You, January 2009, Piccadilly Railway Station

Participants

“I think it's marvellous. It’s an EVENT.” (Louis)

“It’s good, it’s impressive. It hits, if you want to be hit… My parents went to Auschwitz… You leave your parents, your home, your country. I have letters from my family but I can’t bear to read them. This is something only a holocaust survivor will understand. It never leaves you.” (Susie)

“We’re showing what happened – please look, please realise this happened… it didn’t horrify you enough.” (Gilda)

“One should never forget such a terrible thing. To memorise the six million – isn’t it similar to remembering the birth of Christ? One of those things that should never be forgotten… I can’t think of a word that’s bad enough.” (Myra)

“It brings back all the memories - the young refugees arriving…” (Nita)

“To go through so much hardship, absolutely on the borderline – and then make jokes! It’s about themselves, make fun of the self… it shows the ‘someone’ inside. And humour to cover things…” (Peggy)

Audience, Piccadilly Railway Station 27 January 2009

“(The stories) are short and truncated, so you imagine something else around them…”

(Niamh Moore, Researcher)

“A lot more awareness is needed about the issue. It’s interesting to see the stories, kickstarts the imagination. Thinking about how you’re on a journey and how very different their journeys were. It certainly doesn’t offend, if anything its enlightening.”

(Matt)

“The Jewish community here is very reticent about advertising itself… So this is important, I think. Even the word JEWISH is important on that screen.” (Bill Williams, historian)

Holocaust Memorial Day 2009

Last week, on the 27th of January, we marked Holocaust Memorial Day, with animated text/art on the electronic billboards at Piccadilly Train Station Manchester.

After 2 sleepless nights and many many days of work and anxiety we at last showed our highest profile artworks to date. This project has been fraught with difficulties, responsibilities but above all its been an honour to work on. There was a constant battle between creating a living memorial to the memories and words of the wonderful people we have met, with the pulls and pushes of the demanding politics of placing a Holocaust Memorial in such a high profile space.

With the news from Israel and Gaza, everyday brings great hurt, anger, confusion and resentment. Sadly this seems to impact for some people on their responses to the very notion of a Holocaust Memorial Day.

For me the day was about separating the current events, and honouring the lives and memories of the people we have worked with and become friends with. A group of the authors, the older Jewish people who had provided the words and inspiration for the text/art came to the station to view the artwork. This was the highlight of the day for me. Never sitting still, I took photos, Phil gathered responses. I am very proud of what we have achieved, the text/art stood out amongst the hustle and bustle of the busy station.

55,000 passengers per day use the station! We where written about by the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2009/01/26/270109_holocaust_poems_feature.shtml in the Metro and Evening News. The Jewish Telegraph and The Jewish Cronicle, and http://www.writeoutloud.net We have had many individuals give us wonderful feedback, and the Holocaust Memorial Trust said ‘this is fantastic.’ and that ‘we’re so impressed with the work you have done for HMD09’.

There is so much to reflect on I will be thinking about the day and the lead up for a long while yet. For photos of the event please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/arthur-and-martha/

This project would not have been possible without our Funding for Kindness which was provided by the Clore Duffield Foundation, through Sparks: The Clore Jewish Development Fund.

The art of hearing aids

'There is a great art in using hearing aids,' Barbara commented at the beginning of this session. It's true: the things are a miracle of electronic engineering, but they squall and squeak through many of our gatherings like disgruntled babies.

One of the sadnesses of growing old is the isolation that can result - and bad hearing exaggerates this, drops the sufferer into an aquarium of muffled noise and looming faces whose words are lost in swirling tinnitus - another of the sadnesses of growing old is that the voices of older people are often ignored - seen but not heard, and not hearing.

This Friday we felt that we owed it to to the group to do a lighter session - the holocaust-related material is heartbreaking and heavy to carry week on week - so in order to find a lighter subject, we talked about light itself - a cutup of the conversation is to be found on this blog, titled the bedeken.

The subject came from the kabbalic A poem for the Sefirot as a wheel of light by Naftali Bacharach, the result of dipping the magnificent Poems for the Millenium vol 1 edited by Rothenberg and Joris (met Jerry Rothenberg awhile ago at dinner with Tony and Sue Trehy, but of that another time) - was delighted to find a concrete-ish poem form that dates from ways back and another older tradition than that of Dada and Noigandres - and so we talked about light and we made sure that everyone was heard.

Although Pat did have a snooze.

the bedeken

the bedeken

what is light? we don’t know

sometimes it behaves like a beam of particles
sometimes a
wave
the sun must come up tomorrow
gladdening the bride - musseltov! good luck!
light is something I haven’t got
light meaning understanding and the longer days
seeing things that you can’t see is the dark
something I haven’t got
the dark/the sun
go out and lie
mention a rainbow, leave the curtains slightly ajar
at night, light refreshments bless you and
preserve pure oil to light candles
white light, all the colours, every religion has light
put it through the prism
bells to be rung, the priests roar
back to Stonehenge, the druids worshipping to catch the sun
facing west, see the sunset over the trees
the sun in the one candle
the lord shine and turn his countenance
we are all brought up blinkered behind those walls
think of summer and the longer days
what is light? we don’t know – something I cannot have
all religions carry their candles
lighting their memorials
sometimes a beam of particles, sometimes a wave
go out and lie in it
why does it worry scientists? because they can’t see?
the lights up and down fantastic
the lights upon the
sea prism
good sabbat to you and you and you and him
and I’ll keep a little bit for myself
things don’t grow in the dark
light is something I haven’t got
the call for prayer:
sun come up from the earth-rim like a bubble
brighten and ripen
the bride and groom


Myra, Barbara, Pat, Betty, Susie, Diana
5th December 2008
Morris Feinmann Home

Bring light towards you

A remarkable art project bringing together older Jewish people, Imperial War Museum North and the Morris Feinmann Home in Manchester will commemorate the holocaust in poems displayed at Piccadilly Railway Station, Manchester.

On Holocaust Memorial Day (27th January 2009) poetic texts created by the older people, many of whom are holocaust survivors, will be displayed in lights on the electronic billboard at Piccadilly Station, Manchester. The holocaust has often been linked to trains: millions of people, particularly Jews, were taken to concentration camps by train before being killed in the notorious nazi Final Solution during the Second World War. This artwork will give fragments from accounts of their journeys: to destruction and journeys of escape.

‘Kindness’ is one of many arts projects run by the arthur+martha organisation; artist Lois Blackburn and poet Philip Davenport have been working with older Jewish people living at The Morris Feinmann Home, Manchester, exploring issues in regard to the holocaust. John Collins from Imperial War Museum-North is part of the team, bringing objects and personal stories from the museum collection to discuss and prompt memories.

“This work is made up of family histories, experiences of displacement, refugee backgrounds and direct holocaust memories,” says Davenport. “We are interested in the bric-a-brac of people’s lives, the tiny moments, rather than the grand history. We called the project Kindness because some of these people experienced a terrible lack of kindness. And because they were persecuted for being a certain ‘kind’ of cultural group.”

Lois Blackburn added: “It’s a privilege to meet the wonderful people at Morris Feinmann and we are delighted about our collaboration with Imperial War Museum North too. This is important work, but it touches very deep memories and we will tread delicately. One of the women we worked with used the phrase ‘Bring light towards you’ in a poem and that little phrase seems to sum up our philosophy for this project – whether it is the light of realisation, of finding hope, or simply of clear recollection.”

Maria Turner, Activities Co-ordinator at the Morris Feinmann Home, described the effect of arthur+martha’s work: “In a very sensitive and caring approach, the project has enabled our residents to talk about their experiences and express their feelings.”

From 24-31 January 2009, Imperial War Museum North will be hosting a series of free events to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, including gallery tours, lectures, musical performances and storytelling. The Museum also runs regular object handling sessions and tours for school groups learning about the Holocaust.

Funding for Kindness has been provided by the Clore Duffield Foundation, through Sparks: The Clore Jewish Development Fund.

Ode to joy

Phil just sent me this edited poem from last weeks session- it was a wonderful afternoon, and this has brought it all back...



Ode to joy

the tea-trolleys go by
freedom from want and distress
I am very happy
happiness
a peacefulness, a feeling of peace
a figment
for a lot of ladies their first baby
children are special
can’t imagine life without
(I accept joy without any question
I don’t doubt it at all
makes you feel warm all over)
in order to feel joy
be in good health
some are inclined to be happier than others
I always try to achieve something more
than I think I can achieve
and that gives me joy
it can be very simple
joy is more short-lived than happiness
transient
a very fleeting person
whereas unhappiness sits next to your bed
and starts knitting
sorrow sadness misery
can’t have anything without the bad bits
I am very happy
being happy is an involuntary action
we’ve got our own reactions: what makes one person
happy or sad?
come through atrocity and feel quite whole
or damaged?
some deal with it some can’t
relax
optimistic
nature
achievement
genes – born that way
it sticks with you
develops with the child
there must be some overlap
with my grandfather
environment is so important
disposition comes into it
coping mechanism:
do you distinguish between joy and pleasure?
the tea-trolleys go by
freedom from want and distress
relationships with the opposite sex
academic success
realising an ambition
that little face those eyes
making each party
tolerant
war was the most devastating
joy grabber
that’s my boy
fleeting
you can’t will these moments
I’m very happy
(the saddest thing in this place
is watching people whose minds are going
or in the process of going:
how do you know your own mind?)
the tea-trolleys go by
freedom from want and distress
assurance of one’s place in the universe
exaltation
tea
up on the hills and walking
feeling insignificant
a perfect coffee sitting in the sun
with a handsome man
my family are happy I’m happy
happiness is a very big word
a very big word
my pleasure my children
I am very happy
my children my music
and most important of all the sunshine
I think the greatest pleasure
was to reach the top
I am very happy

Group
MFH 14 Nov 2008

Morris Feinmann Home 14 Nov 2008

The big glass room is full of light and the view is tree-ringed – there are high-backed chairs arranged in small gatherings – we are in the Basso Lounge, the foyer of Morris Feinmann Home and N is being asked what she’d like for lunch – she’s tiny and frail and confused – people hiss ‘She’s confused’ if you ask – as though it is a temporary forgetfulness – but this confusion is actually enormous and carries in the wake of it a vast swell of fear – we worked with N awhile ago but she can’t settle to the sessions – cant seem to hold onto the thoughts long enough – the attendant leading her to lunch is a saint of patience – each question asked many times – would you like lunch? – can you walk? – would you like a wheelchair today? – shall I walk with you? – every movement a co-operation between the two until they’re gone, the gentle murmuring between them fading into lunchtime clatter from the dining room.

Identity

On Friday we had a gathering of material for the project Bring Light Towards You. We used the Maya Escobar questionnaire once more as a launch pad for discussion about Jewishness. The answers reflected a wide understanding of the range of experiences of being Jewish - from atheism to regular observance.

Photo of Myra © Lois Blackburn 2008, more photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/arthur-and-martha/

Jewish stories of survival

Yesterday at the Morris Feinmann Home, Phil and I met and interviewed four truly remarkable Jewish people, Joyce, Gisela, Sonja and Ad. I find it hard to put into words the effect meeting them had on me. Three spent their childhoods in Germany and lived through and felt the dreadful effects of the rise of Hitler. With eloquent tales of horror, of the concentration camps, of fear, of hatred, of escape and acts of braveness and kindness, they told their stories. The events have affected all four of them so deeply, and yet they are prepared to share their stories in the hope of ‘never again’. I felt honoured and privileged to meet them.

19th September

At the Morris Feinmann Home this week, we adapted a series of questions from artist Maya Escobar’s website http://mayaescobar.com
We will use their responses as a basis for poetry/text art in another session for the project 'Bring Light Towards You'. We found that asking a mix of questions (depending on the participant) a very useful starting point, the questions really got to the heart of the question of identity. As ever the responses where very broad, and triggered many fascinating, humorous, thoughtful and sad conversations.

Identity


* Define what makes someone Jewish
* What makes you a Jew in your everyday life?
* Have you ever feel uncomfortable about your (Jewish) identity?
* If you have had an uncomfortable situation regarding your identity, what did you do?
* Do you have a Non-Jewish side, what is it like?
* What makes a person culturally Jewish?
* Name your greatest Jewish moment?
* Why are you Jewish?
* What does a Jew look like?
* Have you ever not feel Jewish?
* What is it about being Jewish that makes you most proud?
* What do you love about being Jewish?
* What was your oddest Jewish experience?
* Have you ever questioned your Jewish identity?
* Has anyone else ever questioned your Jewish Identity?
* What symbols represent Judaism for you?
* What non-Jewish activities do you partake in that to you are ‘very Jewish?
* What is your responsibility as a Jew?

September 12th

This time was focussed around two interviews – with Peggy and Lady Barbara. The intention is to use these interviews - which discuss Jewish life and the impact of the holocaust – as material to work from in order to make text pieces later in the project.

Lois led the interview with Barbara while Philip and Myra re-edited the poem from last week and gathered some ideas for Bring Light Towards You. Peggy led the interview with Peggy! It was a very moving conversation, with a few tears punctuating it. Both interviews were powerful testimonies in their different ways, both were a privilege to be part of.