The past is never truly forgotten, but the passing of time can warp words and dim memories, which is why the photography displayed at ‘Seeing Auschwitz’ is so crucial. Taken at the largest German Nazi extermination and concentration camp of World War II, these images provide damning evidence of the crimes committed at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. Tickets are now on sale for this striking retrospective, which will be coming to 81 Old Brompton Road in South Kensington on October 20, with over 100 photographs, sketches, and testimonies from Auschwitz survivors.
What is the intention of the ‘Seeing Auschwitz’ exhibition?
This exhibition invites us to take a deep, analytical look at the photos – beyond the nameless portraits, smiling groups of friends and faceless crowds – and truly consider the entire context of each one. You’ll not just examine the black-and-white image in front of you but use history, empathy and knowledge to add colour to the piece in more ways than one; filling in the blank spaces outside the photo frame and the unspoken emotions of each victim, perpetrator and onlooker with what we know about the reality of Auschwitz. A whole world existed outside of the small snapshot in time these photographs captured.
Inside, you’ll find just some of the thousands of photos taken at Auschwitz, which range from the arrival of the deportees through to their incineration, as well as prisoner portraits and the everyday lives of the camp officials. As you study each photo keep in mind the pivotal fact that the person behind the camera would have likely been a Nazi. This is an important opportunity to reflect on the power of a photograph, both what it shows and what it doesn’t.
On this moving visual journey, you’ll also be able to access a free audio guide on your phone which provides some 60-minute narration and features testimonies from Auschwitz survivors which have been collected over decades. This, alongside with a number of detailed sketches, will add another dimension to our collective image of the most lethal German nazi camp. This invaluable insight into a notorious piece of history is sure to be a transformative experience, make sure to get tickets for ‘Seeing Auschwitz’ now to count yourself among the visitors this October.