Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Remembering ABE


REMEMBER
"SOMETIMES WE MUST INTERFERE. WHEN HUMAN LIVES ARE ENDANGERED, WHEN HUMAN DIGNITY IS IN JEOPARDY, NATIONAL BORDERS AND SENSITIVITIES BECOME IRRELEVANT. WHENEVER MEN OR WOMEN ARE PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE, RELIGION, OR POLITICAL VIEWS, THAT PLACE MUST-AT THAT MOMENT-BECOME THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. " - Elie Wiesel

I'm not really sure where to begin. I had signed up for a Shoe shrine class in July of last year with Michael deMeng. I brought my shoe to shrine and I had also brought with me this thought, memory if you will that I've carried for a long time. I couldn't finish it then. It's finished now.

I've wanted to do a piece about the Holocaust for many years. My husband and I had visited the Museum of Tolerance at the Simon Wiesenthal Plaza in L.A. on numerous occasions. The passport I had received upon entering on this given day was for Abraham Beem.

I dedicate my shoe shrine to Abraham Beem and his sister Eva. Hence the name ABE.

It has taken me this long to feel right about this piece. The shoe represents the walk that these children endured, likely without shoes. I didn't have a photo for Eva at the time so I used a rubber stamp I had that depicted a young girl with a blank stare. The puzzle pieces represent the 'fragments' of their lives. The overstamped saying on the large puzzle piece is a Harriet Tubman quote," The sun came like gold through the trees and over the fields and I felt like I was in heaven". I wanted the confusion with the overstamping to represent the transition these children had from their living hell to our interpretation of heaven. I'll leave the rest to you.

Here is a pic I recently found of sweet Eva Beem.


originally uploaded to Flicker
by rosewithoutathorn 84
on November 25, 2007

We must NEVER forget the atrocities of the Holocaust. Educate your children... Here is a documentary I own and recommend "Paper Clips" see trailer here:



Be sure to stop by my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your shrine came out fantastic!!

Judy said...

A very thought provoking piece, genuine in its intent. Eva is anonymous no more, thankyou.

JudyK said...

Wow...what a thoughtful piece. Great composition!

Judy K

K Hutchinson said...

WOW this piece is amazing! I know I must find this movie and watch it!

Paula J Atkinson said...

Happy New Year to you!
You have certainly got off to a fabulous creative start!
Love the shrine, terrific idea.

Ro Bruhn said...

Love what you've done, even more so when I read the story behind it. Michael deM and Judy would be proud.
Thanks for visiting my blog also. I love your work and will be back

dawn said...

they hadn't started building that museum until after we left los angeles. when i get back, that is on my list to visit.

your piece is truly beautiful.
you done good, girl.

Christine LeFever said...

Bittersweet and necessary; you are good to share and keep it going.

Your shoe shrine is wonderful!


Christine

Unknown said...

your shoe shrine is amazing....your dedication was wonderful....

Thanks for sharing this with us...

Diana

Susan Tuttle said...

Wow--this is so incredibly moving--heart-wrenching. I visited Auschwitz in 1989, when I was 17--I will never forget. And now that I have children of my own, these stories effect me so deeply.

Thank you for sharing your incredible piece and story.

Warmly,
Susan

Sanja said...

fantastic shrine!!!!:-)

Rebecca E. Parsons/Cre8Tiva said...

beautiful work...bringing the world to little eva gives her a voice she was not allowed to deliver...we are all less because we never heard her...you bring her voice to the world...blessings, rebecca

carylsrealm said...

Absolutely stunning!

dime store daze said...

This is my first time visiting your blog. Your writing, Your soulful art work are just so wonderful.
I'm glad I stopped by.
Terri

Cory said...

Thank you for the nice comment on my blog, and thank you for sharing this wonderful shrine. Not only is it well executed, it grabs the viewers heart.
Sent me your private email..I will let you know if I am ever teaching in San Diego.
May you have a very creative New Year...
Cory