What is the purpose of art in crime scenes and places of death, what do artists do or what can they do for the memory of victims and the memory of the living; ultimately how is a landscape after crime shaped by the presence of art in late twentieth century and twenty-first century Europe? Can art bring catharsis, evoke feelings of fear and compassion, bring about an increase in empathy for the fate of vast group subjects of wartime tragedies? Can works of art manage, through artistic order and creative expression, to mute the sense of staggering cruelty, senselessness and chaos, and bring about a calming, a cleansing of emotions? These questions can best be answered by the individual responding to the works of art on the sites of crimes, in line with his or her psychological needs and aesthetic sensibilities. The examples and analyses collected in this book may, in conjunction with the personal impressions of readers, enhance their experience of works of art commemorating the civilian victims of World War II, and aid them in their search for answers to existential questions about the power of art and compassionate memory.
Halina Taborska