ART MUSEUM

Yad Vashem’s collection of Holocaust art is the largest and most wide-ranging collection in the world, comprises approximately 10,000 works. The art displayed in the new Museum allows a view of the Holocaust based on the experience of the individual — using a medium that appeals not just to the intellect, but also penetrates straight to the heart.

Many of the works of art on display were created in ghettos, camps, forests, and while in hiding. They depict the reality of life during the Holocaust, but at the same time provide a glimpse into the inner world of the artist. Despite the appalling conditions and the daily struggle to survive, the artists overcame their lack of materials. Through their creativity, they reasserted their individuality and their will to live. Many of the artists were on the verge of collapse — physically and mentally — without access to even the most minimal essentials of daily life. In spite of this, the piece of art was created, and often managed to survive even when the artist did not.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND

In the Art Museum, four artists receive particular emphasis and distinct designated spaces highlighting their life story and works: Bruno Schulz, Charlotte Salomon, Felix Nussbaum and Carol Deutsch. 

Ultimately, the display reflects the extraordinary creativity of Jewish artists during the Holocaust, who left powerful visual testimonies enabling us to honour their memory today.