Events
October 7, 2010
Lecture on Holocaust photography
In connection with the current multi-site exhibition on campus of Ann Weiss’ internationally acclaimed book “The Last Album: Eyes from the Ashes of Auschwitz-Birkenau,” Visual Arts’ Jason Francisco will discuss the photography of the Holocaust on Thursday, Oct, 14.
The event will be at 7 p.m. in the Visual Arts Building, Room 145.
The department chair and associate professor’s presentation will begin by addressing the complications around the dominant picture of pre-war Jewish life in Eastern Europe as constructed by Jewish photographers such as Roman Vishniac, Alter Kacyzne and Menachem Kipnis—whose pictures have come to stand in for what was lost.
The talk will then critically consider several bodies of pictures produced during the genocide from distinct points of view: those made by Nazi perpetrators, some for public and some for private use; those made by Jews, specifically the landmark work of Mendel Grossman of the Łodz ghetto; and those made by the Western press at liberation.
He will conclude with a short introduction to post-war works of remembrance of the genocide, including Francisco’s own critically acclaimed work. Rich with images, the lecture will pose key questions about the perils and the necessities of undertaking remembrance of atrocity through photographs.
Francisco’s talk is also in conjunction with Atlanta Celebrates Photography’s month-long festival, ACP 12.
“Photography & the Shoah: A Lecture by Jason Francisco” is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
