Art Confronting Holocaust Distortion

events Programme

FestivALT organised a series of events under the title “Art Confronting Holocaust Distortion”, continuing the long term artistic and research project From the Darkness. Archive developed by artist Renata Guzera. The initiative grew out of the discovery of previously unknown photographs and archival materials connected to the history of Otfinów and the wider Dąbrowa Tarnowska region. These findings opened a broader investigation into the fate of local Jewish communities and the mechanisms of silence, distortion and denial that have shaped the transmission of difficult historical knowledge across generations.

The first event took place at the Centre for the Meeting of Cultures in Dąbrowa Tarnowska, where the exhibition “From the Darkness. Encounter – A Reportage” was presented. The exhibition documented Guzera’s journey to Israel and her meeting with Haya, a descendant of a Jewish family from Otfinów and Tarnów. One of the most significant outcomes of this encounter was Haya’s decision to donate her family photo album to the Centre’s collection. This gesture symbolically returned a fragment of family memory to its place of origin and strengthened the connection between descendants, local institutions and community memory.

The second event was held in the Community House in Otfinów. A lecture by Dr Mateusz Kalita, a presentation of archival photographs by Stanisław Chłoń and a conversation with Renata Guzera created space for discussion about the history of Jews in Otfinów, Żabno and neighbouring villages. Residents were invited to contribute their own memories, family stories and reflections, turning the event into a collective process of remembering and interpreting the past.

The programme addressed artists, educators, heritage professionals, civil society organisations, local leaders and residents of the region. By combining archival research, personal testimony and artistic practice, the events encouraged dialogue grounded in historical evidence, empathy and responsibility. They also demonstrated how art can serve as an effective tool for challenging Holocaust distortion and supporting more nuanced and honest forms of public remembrance.

📸 Lena Rubenfeld, Aleksandra Kumala