'Be The Light In The Darkness', HMD 2021
January 27th is the UK Holocaust Memorial Day, and our thoughts are with the victims of the Holocaust. This year's HMD theme is ‘Be the light in the darkness’. We can choose to be the light in the darkness in a variety of ways, and we can all stand in solidarity.
Pictured are some key memorials to learn more about.
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The Cora Berliner Straße memorial is made up of 2,711 massive rectangular stone slabs (stelae) and was designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold and opened in 2005. Each stone has unique dimensions, pointing to the uniqueness and sameness of the people who were murdered.
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The Libeskind Museum. Daniel Libeskind did not want simply to design a museum building, but to recount German-Jewish history. The building was opened in 2001 and allows for many interpretations. For some people it brings to mind a broken Star of David; for others it is a bolt of lightning. Many people are left with a feeling of insecurity or disorientation.
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Judenplatz is considered a singular place of remembrance; it combines three things: Rachel Whiteread's Memorial unveiled in 2000, the excavations of a medieval synagogue and a museum about medieval Jewry; together they form a unique unit of remembrance. The sides of the Memorial is like an inverted library, featuring rows of books with their spines facing inwards so their identity remains unknown. The plinth bears the names of concentration camps where an estimated 65,000 Austrian Jews perished, as well as a dedication to the victims in German, English and Hebrew.
For more information, please visit:
https://eisenmanarchitects.com/Berlin-Memorial-to-the-Murdered-Jews-of-Europe-2005
https://www.jmberlin.de/en/libeskind-building
https://www.visitingvienna.com/sights/museums/holocaust-memorial/
https://www.hmd.org.uk/what-is-holocaust-memorial-day/this-years-theme/
NEWS
BLACK LIVES MATTER
We would like to take the opportunity to express our support towards the Black Lives Matter movement. Reflecting on our position as a society, we have a responsibility to use our platform to share relevant information. We acknowledge the importance of educating ourselves on racial inequalities, however simply posting on social media is not enough. We must continue to advocate for and support BLM in our daily lives. Below are some initiatives taken by our members, we invite you to join them.
As art historians, we must acknowledge that systemic oppression has long infiltrated the art world. Museology is rooted in othering non-white cultures, validating the work of colonialists at the time. The transition from the exclusivity of colonial museum and gallery structures to an equal representation of BAME creatives is long overdue and we have a responsibility to educate ourselves on this matter.
Thank you,
HoA Exec
COVID 19
The Art World's Input on Battling the Virus
The Art World has united to show how their collaboration, hard work, and initiative can help combat the global pandemic.
Artist Damien Hirst has raised £1,508,172 for the NHS Charities Together and £1,548,953 for The Felix Project, which distributes food to those in need on the streets of London. Hirst managed to fundraise with his numerous creations of rainbow coloured prints titled ‘Butterfly Heart’ and ‘Butterfly Rainbow’. He sold the prints through the Heni Gallery for one whole week in May at £300 each. This exemplifies how artists have been able to put their current works on hold, pick up new incentives and make the resulting works affordable enough for people to buy and enjoy, all whilst showing their support and solidarity with the NHS Care Workers and Front Liners, which is what the rainbow symbol has come to represent.
There have been national collaborations too, for example Kate Middleton and the National Portrait Gallery have teamed up for a community photography project that shares the stories of how British people are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis at home. The project, ‘Hold Still’ invites people around the UK to share photographs of their lives in lockdown. The result will be an online exhibition displaying one hundred photographs that will be judged by the ‘emotion and experience’ they convey, rather than technical ability. A national project provides a sense of unity and worth of each individual experience that collectively represents the UK’s resilience.
Christie’s Auction House has also been raising money for COVID-19 relief organisations, through their bid running from the 28th of May to the 12th of June. RADArt4Aid partnered with Mark Seliger’s Studio and RAD (Red Carpet Advocacy). The global auction featured twenty-six portraits of Seliger’s celebrity portraits including actors such as Leonardo di Caprio and musicians such as Kendrick Lamar. One hundred percent of all proceeds went to charities of the celebrity’s choice, relating to care for the victims of the pandemic. Not only is the money going to a good cause, but the fact children can see their favourite celebrities helping to fight the pandemic would be an inspiration, encouraging them to do their bit too.
Galleries such as the White Cube have also contributed to the COVID-19 charities, having donated £1,250,00 to charities in New York, London and Hong Kong. Harland Miller managed to raise this amount by selling his works featuring his signature paperback book motif, titled ‘Who Cares Wins’. The painting was designated to the carers who helped his father whilst he was ill, but now it is repurposed as a tribute to all those on the NHS frontline and those working in social care.
Ultimately, the Art World’s input into the battle against the virus reveals how artists, galleries and auction houses have all come together to do what they do best, to raise money, to therefore help those who need it most.
Serena Gupta
Featured on
Tate Collective
In response to 'Head of a Man' by John Simpson, exhibited in 1827, Serena Gupta created a mixed media piece, 'Portrait of the Editor of British Vogue' (2020), now featured on the official Instagram of Tate Collective!
Swipe for Artist Statement & more details
ALL.ART.HISTORY:
In light of current political issues, Roshy Afshar has created the Instagram page @all.art.history to bring attention to the arts from all cultures and inform a wider audience about art history. “In today's society, we need to change the narrative around art to make it more inclusive, and representative of everyone." We encourage you all to follow the page and message Roshy if you'd like to contribute in any way.
DECOLONISING ART HISTORY:
Abigail Rylance has created a group on decolonising art history, a space to educate ourselves and to address the problems in our subject. Plans are in their early stages and will include a reading group. Everyone interested will be added to the fb group chat. Ideas are very welcome. This area will be updated in due course with more details, meanwhile, stay updated on our Instagram.
DECOLONISING ART HISTORY
Informative and important resources related to BLM:
https://drive.google.comdrive/WWS/race - Warwick Sociology Society compiled this selection of readings from their Race related modules.
https://docs.google.com/WAAS/racetheoryreadinglist - Warwick Anti Sexism Society - WASS collection of free and easily accessible texts on race theory, and understanding white supremacist and anti-black structures, and what steps are necessary to undermine them
mo.ma/resources - MoMA The Museum of Modern Art list of resources and organisations for fighting racism and supporting justice and equality
Netflix shows:
Dear White People
When They See Us.
13th
Petitions:
https://www.change.org/p/govia-thameslink-justice-for-belly…
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-georg…
CONTACT US
Send us a message on our social pages
Email hoasocwarwick1@gmail.com
or message any of the exec!
President: Louise Olof-Ors
Vice President: Anoushka Maini
Talks Coordinator: Caro Koenig
Head of Marketing: Eilidh McKell
See more exec here
FOLLOW US
Facebook: @WarwickHoASoc
Insta: @warwick_hoa and @hoainnvenice
LinkedIn: @Warwick History of Art Society
Join our FB group for History of Art related discussions here: