On January 23, ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a public discussion titled "For Remembrance. Tragedy Through the Artist's Eyes" was held.
The event took place at the exhibition space of "War: A Reversed Perspective" at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War.
The discussion marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of prisoners from Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. It served as a platform for exploring contemporary approaches to preserving Holocaust memory through artistic, educational, and research initiatives. Participants emphasized the vital importance of such events, especially during times of war, as a means to reflect on the scale of past tragedies and advocate for a future rooted in respect for history and human dignity.
Anatolii Podolskyi compared the Nazi to Russia's current aggression against Ukraine. He also examined modern ways of addressing Holocaust themes in art, highlighting the film The Zone of Interest as an example. He noted:
"The film is compelling as an arthouse project, but once again, we focus on the perpetrators, neglecting the voices of the victims".
Rosa Tapanova shared the remarkable story of restoring Dmytro Klebanov’s Symphony No. 1, the world’s first symphony dedicated to the Holocaust:
"This work was believed to be lost due to Soviet censorship, but we managed to recover it. The symphony was created by a Ukrainian composer who survived the war, and now it is performed in Kharkiv, a city bombarded daily. This is our fight for memory and justice".
Hanna Sherman presented a special issue of the magazine Antiquary, produced in collaboration with the Babyn Yar Memorial team. The issue explores how art serves as a language of memory, uncovering the darkest chapters of history.
Svitlana Listiuk recounted an expedition to the village of Berezuvatka, where Jews and Germans lived before World War II. Her research is part of the @babayelka project, which preserves the local history of Jewish communities.
During the event, works by artist Zinovii Tolkachov from the Museum of the War’s collection and photographs by Volodymyr Yudin depicting the Holocaust and wartime atrocities were showcased. Participants underscored the unique role of art in interpreting tragedies and passing on the memory to future generations.
