A MONUMENT to victims of genocide – hand-made by Rugbeians – has been unveiled in Caldecott Park on Holocaust Memorial Day (Friday January 27).
The sculpture uses clay imprints of personal objects such as buttons, broaches and watches to represent the broken fragments of people’s lives, and what they had to leave behind when forced from their homes.
It was created by Works4Me, a local group of artists who work with adults with learning difficulties, alongside pupils from Northlands Primary School and Nursery, Benn Partnership Centre’s Rainbow 50+ group and Rugby Peace Group.
The group was one of just 12 nationwide to be commissioned by The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) to create a permanent artwork in their community reflecting this year’s theme, ‘how can life go on?’
The artworks, including sculptures, gardens, collages and murals, will act as focal points and thoughtful places of reflection.
Olivia Marks-Woldman, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said: “We have been delighted to see the creativity of the groups commissioned by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust to create a new permanent artwork for HMD 2017.
“Each group has produced a powerful, unique response to this year’s theme and I hope that the local community will be inspired by their work to come together to commemorate HMD.”
This project is part of ‘reflections on loss and living’ – the wider arts programme for HMD 2017. HMDT is asking people to reflect on this year’s theme and contribute an artistic submission to the Wall of Life. Visit www.howcanlifegoon.hmd.org.uk for more information.
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) commemorates the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
