Trauma, Oppression and Art: When Adversity Inspires Creativity

From the Spanish artist Francisco Goya’s exposure of the "Disasters of War" in 85 prints after the Napoleonic invasions, to the South African William Kentridge’s conflagration of animated drawing and storytelling to probe his conflicted identity as white man and artist during Apartheid and after, artists through the centuries have turned to art-making in times of war, conflict, oppression and trauma.

Join a global panel of artists formed by dire events in far-flung corners of the globe who honor, replay, deride or exorcise their histories through their work. How important is the art making itself to their emotional or even physical survival? How did they come to recognize the roots of their subjects and evolve their form of expression? What role does the art-making play in their lives? Why do some artists find it necessary constantly to revisit the injury and others to probe, dissect or transcend it. What is the role of humor in art rooted in an oppressive past? The artists share their stories, screen their work and address the provocative questions, in particular: can art make a difference?

Part of our Will to Create, Will to Live: The Culture of Terezín series.

Will to Create, Will to Live: The Culture of Terezín is generously supported by The Rita Allen Foundation; and The Harold W. and Ida L. Goldstein Lecture Fund through the Estate of Sanford Goldstein.

Additional support is provided by an anonymous donor; Suzi and Martin J. Oppenheimer; UJA-Federation of New York; the Austrian Cultural Forum; the Czech Center New York; and the Consulate General of Israel in New York.

Brief Bios:

Alexander Melamid, born 1945, Stalin’s Soviet Union. Painter and performance artist, founder with Vitaly Melamid of SOTSart, continues to interpret the world with bitter and hilarious irony. Currently, in storefront SoHo clinic, treats psychological and physical ailments through art.

Wangechi Mutu, born 1972, Kenya. Collaged meditations on African history and mass media myths surrounding endangered cultural heritages, particularly as expressed through women’s bodies. Deutsche Bank’s first "Artist of the Year," 2010.

Shirin Neshat, born 1957, Iran. Video artist and filmmaker, examining issues of Moslem culture, femininity and identity with poetic complexity. Winner 2009 Silver Lion for Best Director at Venice Film Festival.

Krzysztof Wodiczko, born 1943 Poland, during Warsaw Ghetto uprising, hidden as infant. In largescale projections and installations interrogates war, anguish and memory, most recently in veterans of the Iraq and Afghan wars. Teaches "Trauma, Conflict and Art" at Warsaw School of Social Psychology.

Amei Wallach, born New York to German Jewish exiles; currently completing historical memoir on generational fallout of their ordeal and exile. Art critic and film maker. Articles appeared in NY Times, Smithsonian, Art in America. Art commentator for MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour. Co-director highly acclaimed documentary on Louise Bourgeois. Now in post-production for film on Soviet-born artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov.