I was born half year before the Second World War ended. While I cannot remember anything about the war itself, I remember growing up in post-war Vienna (Allied Occupied Austria), in the Russian-occupied sector. More than half of the buildings on our street were bombed out. Rebuilding took time, most was not done until the mid-fifties. The ruins were our playground. We built shelters with the bricks and boards laying about. At times we (more scared than bravely) entered the underground cellars of these destroyed buildings.
Nearby where we lived was the Ankerbrotfabrik (a bread factory). At 6 AM they would sound the shift siren, which was a loud, long howl. It sounded much like an air raid siren. Many years after the war still, it would waken my mother and she would instinctively grab us kids out of bed to seek shelter. The trauma lingered on for a long time. I think sometimes that I must have absorbed some while in the womb, when my mother fled Vienna to a safer place in the country, where eventually I was born. Fear stalked me for a long time in my childhood.
This painting, a self portrait, was a reaction to these memories.
ADAM IN PAIN - acrylic on canvas - 46 x 61 cm - 1991
On my website, you find links to other sites where prints are available.
This was one of the works exhibited last year at the Nautilus Gallery in Wuppertal. I posted about this exhibition twice: EXHIBITION TRAUMTAFEL and MY ARTWORK AT THE UPCOMING EXHIBITION TRAUMTAFEL - NAUTILUS STUDIO WUPPERTAL.
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I like the story behind this. These must have been difficult times for your mother. I have a great respect for those who managed to overcome adversities with dignity and courage. Lovely artwork!
Thank you for your comment - yes, hard to imagine, carrying me during the worst part of the war, regular bomb raids, then fleeing Vienna from the advancing Russians. However, one anecdote she told me, it was a Russian motorcycle soldier that gave her a ride part of the way! Myself as a small child, I still remember Russian soldiers patrolling our streets and guarding the South-Railway station, which was partially destroyed.
When I see pictures like this, I kringe:
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Oh wow.... Your mother was brave!
Thanks for sharing your creative and inspirational post on HIVE!
This post got curated by our fellow curator @priyanarc and you received a 100% upvote from our non-profit curation service!
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Thank you, much appreciated!