Thea Weiss

Gallery 01 : 2065 - A HEALED MEMORY

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Lotte Weiss is the only survivor of a close-knit family of eight Czechoslovakian Jews who were decimated by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Over the past twenty years, Lotte has shared her stories, childhood memories and horrifying Holocaust experiences with her children, grandchildren and countless visitors to the Sydney Jewish Museum.

Lotte speaks softly and eloquently with no hesitation or unnecessary pauses. However, her words are so powerful that they leave an indelible mark on your mind and soul.

Her incredible words have played an integral part in informing my practice. The many layers of Lotte's life resonate in my work with the overlapping of forms and textures. The recurring symbols found in the miracle of her survival - eyeglasses, particular phrases and numerals, the memories of her beloved family - are repeatedly interwoven throughout the collection.