Holocaust Heroes

Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females

Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females — Tapestries and Sculpture by Linda Stein (H2F2)

The sculpture for H2F2 includes Heroic Tapestries, Spoon to Shell Sculptures, and a Protector Sculpture as well as a 7-min film and book. The exhibition represents different aspects of bravery during the time of the Holocaust: Jew and non-Jew, child and adult, World War II military fighter and ghetto/concentration camp smuggler, record keeper and saboteur. Together they represent the many types of female heroism, with war battle gear and without, during the years of the Holocaust. For her Spoon to Shell sculpture, the artist blended spoon and shell into an amalgam of materials, addressing sexual abuse. Protector includes a Wonder Woman shadow and becomes a symbol for the brave defender.

Click here to see the art in this series.

Click here to see a recording of Linda Stein giving a webinar about this series. 

ENCOUNTERS with H2F2

Upstander

A brave upstander joins with others, or stands alone, to protect others from violent circumstances in everyday experiences, such as bullying, or actively engages in promoting the well-being of others to balance inequalities or oppression. The upstander curricular encounters with H2F2 are catalysts for building empathy and learning how to be an upstander. --Learn more

Upstander Encounters with H2F2: 

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Power

Power encounters with H2F2 involve discussion about (dis)(em)power(ment). In Linda Stein's H2F2 tapestries and sculpture, she incorporates superheroes and fantasy icons that are juxtaposed with real-life female heroes. Stein's intent is to exemplify women’s heroic acts of rescue and protection during the time of the Holocaust. The power encounters also introduce other artists, Chitra Ganesh, and Ivan Velez Jr., who also use comics in their artwork.-- Learn more

Power Encounters with H2F2: 

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Hero

Create a graphic novel/cartoon of the Hero Around/Within Us that incorporates self-narratives of real and/or imagined experiences. From reading the essays in the 2016 H2F2 book or from your own research on each of the heroes (see links on the Leadership encounter to begin research), and looking at the Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females tapestries, one can learn about the lives and actions of the women, and the context of their lives. Add to, as well as, respond to the interactive prompts overlaid on the digitized tapestries, to explore Stein’s use of feminist pop culture and religious icons such as Wonder Woman, Kannon, and Mononoke—who personify the values of empowerment, strength, justice and protection. -- Learn more

Hero Encounters with H2F2: 

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Justice

An encounter with the Anne Frank tapestry called, Welcome Home, begins with reading excerpts from her diary and current news reports concerning groups of people seeking safety in a foreign land. The current news could be juxtaposed with film images from Voyage of the Damned. The historical documentary depicts the incident in 1939 when a ship traveling from Germany to Cuba, full of Jewish refugees seeking asylum and safety, is refused entry to Cuba; and then when they try to land in the United States, in Florida, they’re again refused entry. Forced to return back to Germany, some people jumped overboard. While eventually some refugees were granted asylum in Belgium, France, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, many were not, and subsequently exterminated in Nazi concentration camps. How could the past inform the present, so that people could be welcomed home? Create a collage, which includes news images from the past and present, along with diary entries, that brings a personal perspective to current and historical events about the desire to be welcomed home. Seeking and learning about a diverse range of life narratives prompts an empathetic process of understanding injustice within the complexities of environments and communities.

Justice Encounters with H2F2: 

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ARTifact

The ARTifact encounter, with the Spoon to Shell Series in the H2F2 exhibition, begins with a discussion, while looking at the art, with others whose social class, age, gender, sexuality, and ethnic background differs from one’s own. To join the discussion click here. To interpret a cultural artifact, it is important to look at conditions for its production as they relate to socioeconomic class structures, gender-role expectations, and specific visual codes of the time, as well as how those codes have changed over time. Using Regender (Yee, 2005), read articles that are regendered–about the cultural artifacts–to discern whether and how the meaning has changed. Look again at each work in the Spoon to Shell Series. What does the spoon signify in relation to the shells and text fragments and other items in the box assemblages? The uniformity of the 20 black, wooden, box sculptures brings order and calm to the chaos, fragments, and tensions that are visible from the window of each box. Stein uses spoons and shells in the box sculptures as metaphors for power and vulnerability. --Learn more

ARTifact Encounters with H2F2: 

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Upstander Encounters with H2F2

Empathy is crucial for upstander behavior to occur as well as intensity of conviction for justice. Art can evoke empathy by invoking the past. Through the specifics and particulars of human life, people are moved to take upstander action.

Fostering brave upstanders of justice through art encounters aligns with the Social Justice Research Agenda set forth by the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Research Commission to “prepare art educators to respect and teach content based on social justice [and] promote understanding of diversity with regard to sexual orientation, cultural identity, religious beliefs, and other areas where prejudice and marginalization may exist.”

Specifically, the encounters with H2F2 are designed as catalysts for awareness of and intended behavior to be an upstander. An upstander joins with others, or stands alone, to protect others from violent circumstances in everyday experiences, such as bullying and systemic inequalities and oppressions, or actively engages in promoting the well-being of all.

Begin the upstander encounters by looking at Stein’s art in the H2F2 series

Click here to see the art in the H2F2 series:

https://www.lindastein.com/series/holocaust-heroes/heroic-tapestries/

Some groups suffer disadvantages as a consequence of their gender, race, class, language, age, sexuality, religion, nationality, or ability. Stein’s tapestries concern heroes who challenge and change violent and oppressive conditions and circumstances to realize a just and compassionate world. The heroes honored in each of the 10 tapestries saved lives and risked their own lives to do so. An art teacher in our 2016 pilot of the H2F2 encounters stated: “These tapestries and sculptures challenged the way I typically think.”

The purpose of several of the curricular encounters with Stein’s tapestries is to learn about acts of agency and resistance by women who stood up for change during the WWII Holocaust. Each person honored by Linda’s Stein’s tapestries is a hero and, by extension, is a leader and a role model. Leadership can be everyday actions or passionate activism that advances social justice.

In response to Stein’s art along with the teaching strategies of the H2F2 encounters, an art educator noted in exploring the H2F2 encounters that the collage process is “relevant to middle school students. Collages can be beautiful, evoke empathy, and initiate memory. Thanks for introducing to photovisi.com for creating photo collages, which has an overlapping fade feature that could be used to convey juxtapositions of past and present suggesting trajectories for the future” (personal communication, July 2016).

Upstander Encounters with H2F2: 

Lesson Plan & Syllabi: 

Further Resources: 

Power

Ten Heroes
Ten Heroes 859. Tapestry by Linda Stein. Leather, archival pigment on canvas, fabric, metal, zippers; 56 x 61 x 2 inches; 2016.

OVERVIEW

Power Encounter involves discussion about (dis)(em)power(ment). In this encounter, students will look at artists who are connecting to themes of power and narrative and make art that re-imagines new narratives of everyday heroism.

PURPOSE

Artist Linda Stein creates tapestries and sculptures that incorporate superheroes and fantasy icons that are juxtaposed with real-life female heroes.  In her series entitled Holocaust Heroes Fierce Females, Stein’s intent is to exemplify women’s heroic acts of rescue and protection during the time of the Holocaust. In her series entitled Fluidity of Gender Stein creates wearable, androgynous sculptures that enable viewers to try on new personas or avatars. In this encounter students will be introduced to other artists, who are Stein’s contemporaries, Chitra Ganesh, and Ivan Velez Jr. who also use comics in their artwork.

Given that images transmit a range of social and cultural values that privilege and exclude others, this encounter aims to create the capacity for imagining and envisioning new narratives and new realities that challenge dominant narratives. This encounter also aims to develop personal strategies for understanding cultural dynamics that include the diversities, ambiguities and complexities of power and identity construction that can be applied to communicating and teaching students about such topics in a developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive manner.

LEARNING GOALS

  • Through observation and discussion, students identify, analyze, investigate, and reflect upon issues related to power and heroism in the context of everyday experience.
  • Drawing upon everyday experience, students create, tell, or reveal personal narratives that tell a story of heroism.
  • Through engagement with artists who use comic imagery, students envision their empowered self as an upstander on an everyday basis, in this particular case by finishing the statements: “I am an Upstander for  ___________. Or “I am an Upstander when  ___________.

ACTIVITIES and DISCUSSION:

  1. Empowerment Tapestry Activity (PDF)
  2. Diagram a Superhero Activity (PDF)
  3. Videos and Discussions Activity (PDF)
  4. Self as Superhero Activity (PDF)

RESOURCES:

  1. Toku, M. (2001) What is manga? The influence of pop culture in adolescent art? Art Education, 54, 11-17. http://www.csuchico.edu/~mtoku/vc/Articles/toku/Toku_what%20is%20manga_.html
  2. McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding comics [the invisible art]. New York : Harper Perennial (View PDF)
  3. Berkowitz, J., & Packer, T. (2001). Heroes in the classroom: Comic books in art education. Art Education, 54(6), 12-18. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3193910?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
View Power Encounter at Stein Studio & Gallery View Comic Power Encounter Lesson Plan

Justice Encounter: To Act OR Not To Act

Hannah Senesh 806 by Linda Stein (2014) 5 ft. sq. leather, metal, canvas, paint, fabric & mixed media
Hannah Senesh 806 by Linda Stein (2014)
5 ft. sq. leather, metal, canvas, paint, fabric & mixed media

GOALS and OBJECTIVES

  • explore issues of social justice and social justice activism as upstander
  • understand why and how people take action to address injustice
  • develop empathy for people whose experiences differ from our own
  • inspire participants (through art) to be upstanders for social justice
  • recognize how one’s life history shapes personal perspectives on upstander behavior and social justice

The Holocaust, slavery, lynchings, and other human rights abuses are not, as we would like to believe, accidents in history. They happened because individuals, groups, and nations made decisions and choices to act or not to act.

REFLECT upon the following questions.

  • How have I been complicit in perpetuating racism, sexism and stereotypes or creating a climate of animosity, xenophobia, or homophobia—(i.e., through jokes, comments, and casual remarks, etc.)?
  • How have I exhibited upstander behavior in either mundane or monumental ways?

MAKE a parallel list of upstander behaviors vs bystander behaviors.

VISUALIZE Social Justice

Envision how we might change our institutions and our psyches…to take seriously the nurturance of consciousness, conscience, compassion, and community.

RESOURCES

  • Curricular Encounters with Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females—Tapestries and Sculpture by Linda Stein @ http://h2f2encounters.cyberhouse.emitto.net/
  • Knight, W. B. (2010). Never again a (K)night with Ben. In A. Arnold, A. Kuo, E. Delacruz & M. Parsons (Eds.), G.L.O.B.A.L.I.Z.A.T.I.O.N, Art, and Education (pp. 126-134). Reston, VA: The National Art Education Association.
  • Stein, L. (Ed.). (2016). Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females—Tapestries and Sculpture by Linda Stein. Philadelphia, PA: Old City Publishing.
Download Justice Encounter lesson plan

From Nativist Hysteria to Upstanders

Ruth-Gruber
Ruth Gruber 805. Tapestry by Linda Stein. Leather, archival pigment on canvas, fabric, metal, zippers; 57 x 57¼ x 2 inches; 2015.

VIEW FILMS:

DISCUSS:

    • Kindertransport as upstander acts
    • Photographs, films, and art as upstander acts: “words and images to fight injustice” Ruth Gruber
    • Restitution as upstander acts

RESOURCES:

    • Knight, W. B. (2010). Never again a (K)night with Ben. In A. Arnold, A. Kuo, E. Delacruz & M. Parsons (Eds.), G.L.O.B.A.L.I.Z.A.T.I.O.N, Art, and Education (pp. 126-134). Reston, VA: The National Art Education Association.
    • Miller, D. (2003). Principles of social justice. Boston, MA: Harvard University Press.
    • Pérez de Miles, A., & Peck, S. (2017). Exhibition as curriculum: Creativity as a human right. Art Education, 70(4), 60-64.
    • Stein, L. (Ed.). (2016). Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females—Tapestries and Sculpture by Linda Stein. Philadelphia, PA: Old City Publishing.
    • Stein, L. (Ed.). (2016). Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females—Tapestries and Sculpture by Linda Stein. Philadelphia, PA: Old City Publishing.
Download From Nativist Hysteria to Upstanders

Hero

An encounter with H2F2, called The Hero Around/Within Us, involves creating a graphic novel/cartoon that incorporates self-narratives of real and/or imagined experiences. Begin by viewing the Eleven Heroes Sculptural Tapestry by Linda Stein and click on the faces of each hero to learn about the Hero. From reading the essays in the 2016 H2F2 book or from your own research on each of the heroes (see links on the Leadership encounter to begin research), and looking at the Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females tapestries, one can learn about the lives and actions of the women, and the context of their lives. Add to, as well as, respond to the interactive prompts overlaid on the digitized tapestries, to explore Stein’s use of feminist pop culture and religious icons such as Wonder Woman, Kannon, and Mononoke—who personify the values of empowerment, strength, justice and protection. In this H2F2 encounter, answer the following questions: What can I do, personally, to confront violence? What experience(s) and interaction(s) have I had that have shaped a decision in my life? Who are my heroes? How can I learn from my hero role models and their values? Further, reflect on people who have demonstrated actions of protection, equality, and justice. Identify people that embody actions (large and small) to help others. Imagine the heroes and icons in Stein’s artwork as animated and conversant life guides, shamans, or protectors. Compose a graphic narrative by any means (drawing, collage, computer) that portrays a problem that needs to be solved, which can be based on social injustice experienced or witnessed. Post your graphic narrative onto your blog or a course blog provided by your teacher. We invite you to post the hyperlink to your graphic narrative in the comment area below by logging in to H2F2 website.

Example:

Heroic Tapestries Ruth Gruber 805 2014

Heroic Tapestries
Ruth Gruber 805
2014
fabric, archival pigment on canvas, leather, metal, zippers
5 ft. sq.

Click here to see image detail

Click here to interact with Heroic Tapestries: Ruth Gruber

Resources

LEADERSHIP

Stein’s tapestries draw attention to fragments of life, using collage as a way to juxtapose, overlap, layer, hide, and reveal relationships. In a close view of the tapestries, for example, what meanings are possible when considering the juxtaposition of calico cotton next to black leather? Both could be fragments from aprons that, when placed together, suggest different kinds of services that women have performed, including domestic labor. Look closely at each element and consider all of the possible meanings. Next, consider how each meaning is developed in relationship to other elements in the tapestry. Then, create a collage honoring a woman who has made courageous decisions toward furthering social justice.

To begin the encounter, watch the 7-minute video on the Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females—Tapestries and Sculpture by Linda Stein.

The ten heroes in the tapestries are:

Hannah Senesh ,  Anne Frank ,  Hadassah Bimko Rosensaft ,  Noor Inayat Khan ,  Nancy Wake ,  Ruth Gruber ,  Gertrud Luckner ,  Zivia Lubetkin ,  Vitka Kempner ,  Nadezhda Popova

Click on each to learn more about these ten heroes!

Ten Heroes 859
Leather, archival pigment on canvas, fabric, metal, zippers, 56 x 61 x 2 inches
(2016 © Linda Stein)

Click here to see image detail

Click here to interact with Heroic Tapestries:Ten Heroes 859

JUSTICE

An encounter with the Anne Frank tapestry called, Welcome Home, begins with reading excerpts from her diary and current news reports concerning groups of people seeking safety in a foreign land. The current news could be juxtaposed with film images from Voyage of the Damned. The historical documentary depicts the incident in 1939 when a ship traveling from Germany to Cuba, full of Jewish refugees seeking asylum and safety, is refused entry to Cuba; and then when they try to land in the United States, in Florida, they’re again refused entry. Forced to return back to Germany, some people jumped overboard. While eventually some refugees were granted asylum in Belgium, France, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, many were not, and subsequently exterminated in Nazi concentration camps. How could the past inform the present, so that people could be welcomed home? Create a collage, which includes news images from the past and present, along with diary entries, that brings a personal perspective to current and historical events about the desire to be welcomed home. Seeking and learning about a diverse range of life narratives prompts an empathetic process of understanding injustice within the complexities of environments and communities.

Lesson Plan Example: Justice Encounter: To Act OR Not To Act

Anne Frank 839
 Anne Frank 839
fabric, archival pigment on canvas, leather, metal, zippers
2015
5 ft. sq.

Click here to see image detail

Click here to interact with Heroic Tapestries: Ann Frank