The New
Year opens at Gallery150 with two thought-provoking shows by Iris Berger and Josh King.
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| Auschwitz by Iris Berger |
In ‘Empathy and Reflection. Anne Frank.’, Iris Berger takes us on a
journey into the harrowing reality of the Nazi occupation and the horrors of
the concentration camps. Inspired by her own personal response to the young girl’s
diary and a visit to the house in Amsterdam, where the family hid from the
Germans for two years, Berger explores Anne Frank’s inner life, thoughts, feelings
and the circumstances surrounding the Holocaust. With this series, the artist, who uses art as a vehicle for engendering empathy and compassion, investigates
the duality of hope and despair, stating:
“This opposition is the dynamism which forces
the collective memory's responsibility to the present and future. It can do
this because there exists a past whose tragedy is internalized through
remembrance. In this sense my paintings constitute a form of ‘narrative
painting’. As such, the works expressionistically represent the temporal
experiences of human consciousness, through memory, anticipation, despair, fear
and hope.
The ‘Anne Frank Series’ of paintings invites us
to imagine, and to empathize with, Anne Frank’s feelings - her sense of fear,
her desperation, being trapped yet dreaming, hoping, longing for her own and
her family’s freedom.”
Photographs of the paintings on show at Gallery150 are
now part of the Anne Frank archive and the artist’s works will also be included
in an educational package, directed by Dr. Batya Brutin of the Beit Berl College, School of Education, Holocaust Studies Programme, which will be used
in schools in Israel.
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| Jim by Josh King |
Local
photographer, Josh King, presents
‘On the Street’ a series of moving and intense works, which explore the very topical
theme of homelessness. Since 2011, Josh has been taking pictures of homeless
people in Leamington. But, his interest in working with the homeless began five
years ago, when he got talking to a busker who was living rough in his
hometown.
Josh
King said: “I was struck by the
similarities between his early life and my own and I realised there was nothing
separating me from his situation except luck. I decided then that I wanted
other people to see it too. Every person on the street is an individual with a
history of their own. It’s important to me that I meet the person first and
take photographs second, so that hopefully my images share a little something
of their story.”
This
series of thought-provoking portraits and street scenes, which aim to raise
awareness of this often overlooked issue, depict people from a broad range of
circumstances, who, for various reasons, including mental health, martial
breakdown and financial difficulties, have found themselves without a home. Donations
will also be welcomed on behalf of the Leamington Way Ahead Project – SalvationArmy.
The private view will be held on the 22nd January and both shows
will be run until 10th February 2013.
Situated at 9 Livery Street, in Leamington, Gallery150
is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am - 6pm and Sunday from 11am to 4pm.
