Images can often speak much louder than words, capturing moments to be frozen in time for centuries and, in the case of ‘Seeing Auschwitz’, providing unwavering photographic evidence of crimes committed during the Holocaust. Coming to South Kensington in October, this striking exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the event through a collection of over 100 photographs, drawings and testimonies, each one crucially shedding light on the people and scenes that occurred inside the fences of Auschwitz. You can now get tickets now for this powerfully eye-opening experience.
‘Seeing Auschwitz’ is an invaluable chance to take a deep, analytical look at these surviving photos and see the victims, perpetrators and onlookers that exist beyond just names in history books. You will be able to lay eyes on the individuals behind the stories, all the while keeping the pivotal fact in mind that most of these photos were taken by Nazis. As a result, we are forced to truly examine every detail of these photographs and question whether it is a true reflection of the past if shown from the perspective of the perpetrator.
What can you expect to see at the Seeing Auschwitz photography exhibition?
Over 1.1 million men, women and children were murdered at Auschwitz. The SS attempted to destroy evidence of the atrocities committed at the camp but the vestiges of their crimes endured. The photographs of ‘Seeing Auschwitz’ show everything from the arrival of deportees, portraits of prisoners and, in a striking juxtaposition, the everyday life of the camp officials. What at first glance may look like a group of friends smiling for the camera actually has much more chilling implications when you consider the uniform they are wearing and what would have been happening out of shot. The exhibition encourages us to look beyond the four edges of the photograph and through the veil of seemingly ordinary faces to confront the reality of what we are seeing.
‘Seeing Auschwitz’ is a touring exhibition that has previously been shown in New York, Paris and Madrid and will now no doubt make a lasting impression on London. Created by the team at Musealia in collaboration with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, this is a visual testimony of a piece of history that will educate and enlighten anyone who walks through the doors. With the exhibition only visiting limited cities one time and not returning, this a once in a lifetime opportunity to bear witness to the event of Auschwitz and should not be missed.