The Holocaust Memorial, Berlin. By Peter Eisenman

The idea for a Holocaust Memorial was first proposed in 1988 but the design for the monument wasn’t approved until 1999. At that time, U.S. architect Peter Eisenman’s controversial design was chosen as a fitting tribute to the Jews that died before and during World War II as part of Hitler’s plan to exterminate them.

Eisenman’s design is quite unique and has drawn both praise and criticism. Occupying about 205,000 square feet (19,000 square meters) of space near the Brandenburg Gate and just a short distance from where the ruins of Hitler’s bunker is buried, the Berlin Holocaust Memorial 

is made up of 2,711 gray stone slabs that bear no markings, such as names or dates.

The slabs undulate in a wave-like pattern. Each is a five-sided monolith, individually unique in shape and size. Some are only ankle high while others tower over visitors. The paths that are shaped between the slabs undulate as well. Eisenman hoped to create a feeling of groundlessness and instability; a sense of disorientation. 

Visitors may walk through the memorial in any direction as there is no set pattern to the stones. The architect has said that he hopes it will merely become a natural part of the city, blending in with its background; used for shortcuts on the way home from work or a place of peace and quiet on a chaotic day.

Congo In Limbo by Cedric Gerbehaye.

Με τίτλο "Congo In Limbo" , η έκθεση στη Gallery M55 μας υπενθυμίζει την κατάσταση που επικρατεί έως σήμερα στη Λαϊκή Δημοκρατία του Κονγκό. Μια χώρα που δεν έχει συνέλθει από τις επιπτώσεις του πολέμου,και βρίσκεται σε μια "μετέωρη κατάσταση" αφού τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα παραβιάζονται συστηματικά,παρά τις εθνικές εκλογές του 2006. Η χώρα ανεξαρτητοποιήθηκε το 1960 από το Βέλγιο, αλλά ουσιαστικά δε γνώρισε ποτέ την ειρήνη. Από το 1998 έως το 2003 βίωσε την πιο αιματηρή σύγκρουση μετά τον Β' Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο, με εκατομμύρια θύματα, ενώ οι ανταρσίες, τα αποσχιστικά κινήματα, η διαφθορά και  οι εισβολές συνεχίζονται υπό το βλέμμα του υπόλοιπου κόσμου. Και αυτό γιατί η διεθνής κοινότητα αδυνατεί να μεσολαβήσει αποτελεσματικά, ώστε να βοηθήσει τον άμαχο πληθυσμό. Κάθε μήνα χάνονται περίπου 45.000 άνθρωποι, ενώ η στρατολόγηση παιδιών και οι βιασμοί είναι καθημερινή πρακτική. Ούτε ο πρώτος δημοκρατικά εκλεγμένος πρόεδρος της χώρας,Joseph Kabila (2006), ούτε όμως και η ειρηνευτική συμφωνία του 2002 δε σταμάτησαν τις μάχες για τον έλεγχο των φυσικών πόρων του Κονγκό. Η Διεθνής Αμνηστία εξακολουθεί να απαιτεί την προστασία των αμάχων, την ενίσχυση της διεθνούς ειρηνευτικής δύναμης αλλά και τον αφοπλισμό των ένοπλων ομάδων, αφού η κυβέρνηση και η διεθνής κοινότητα αδυνατούν να δώσουν ένα τέλος. Η τοπική ομάδα 76 του ελληνικού τμήματος της Διεθνούς Αμνηστίας διοργανώνει μία έκθεση που αποτυπώνει το γεγονός πως "η δικαιοσύνη δεν έχει επιστραφεί στους ανθρώπους" μέσα από τις φωτογραφίες του Βέλγου Cedric Gerbehaye,για τις οποίες έχει τιμηθεί με τα βραβεία The World Press Photo, The Olivier Rebbot Award of the Overseas Press Club of America και The Amnesty International Media Award.

Gallery M55, Μαυρομιχάλη 55, Εξάρχεια

Δευτέρα-Παρασκευή: 18.00-21.00 , Σάββατο-Κυριακή 10.00-14.00

Έως 30/1

INK: THE TATTOO PROJECT – PANTELIS ZERVOS / ILIAS ANASTASIADIS

Lightroom Projects presents the photography exhibition Ink – The Tattoo Project by Pantelis Zervos and Ilias Anastasiadis, which will run from January 20 to February 13, 2011 at Taf/ The Art Foundation

The exhibition explores aspects and meanings of tattoo, as they are depicted in about 200 diptych photographic portraits.

The social reception and connotations of tattoo have been considerably differentiated throughout the years. INK – The Tattoo Project focuses in tattoo as narration of personal stories, transmission of messages, relation of conflict, transition and acceptance of oneself and the social environment. The exhibition presents photographs of tattoos in correlation with the portraits of their owner, and invites spectators to observe, compare the documentations, decode this visual and bodily code of communication, and to form their own interpretations.

Pantelis Zervos and Ilias Anastasiadis worked together for 12 months having the subject as common interest – while they did not have a tattoo themselves. Ilias was founding the appropriate people and Pantelis was photographing them. There were more than 200 tattoo holders that visited the photographer’s studio and shared their numerous vivid stories on how they acquired their tattoos.

Who’s gonna beat the devil’s tattoo?…

Back in the late 19th century, Jack London was quoting “Show me a man with a tattoo and I ‘ll show you a man with an interesting past”. If Jack’s spirit passed by TAF/The Art Foundation for a bourbon or two at the 20th of January, it would come across almost 200 of such men and women. A relatively blank portrait of them – who wouldn’t pose to Pantelis Zervos for a portrait anyway?- and a photo of their tattoo(s). To bring out the expression that’s missing from the portrait. The colour and the tattoo(s) that each one of them chose to bear on their skin. Forever.

The photo shootings for INK:The Tattoo Project lasted 12 months. Over 200 people, 400 unique tattoos and a thousand stories behind them came by Pantelis’ studio. You can see that one who’s felt the needle inside him, and got his skin inked, most of the times, wants to say something without even opening his mouth. He wants to say it with his tattoo and he wants to do it all the time. For an awful lot of years. With a decent google search, you can find out that people have inked themselves since the New Stone Age. And that’s over 10.000 years ago.

5-6 guys that take part in the project admitted that their tattoos don’t mean or symbolize anything specific for them. They just liked their design or the colours. One of them had inked each one of his toes. From the left to the right. From 1 to 10. Arguably, that couldn’t have any hidden meanings. It was just a part of his personality, of his ego. This specific tattoo and hundreds of others will be exhibited at TAF from the 20th of January till the 13th of February, waiting for you to decode them. If you can.

TAF,Νορμανού 5,Αθήνα.