Art classes have allowed Holocaust survivor to be 'herself' for the first time in her life

A collection of art created by Holocaust survivors and refugees is now on show at The Weiner Library, Russell Square, London, after trustees were impressed with the work created by a Jewish Care art group.

Meeting weekly at Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors Centre (HSC), members of the group have embraced art as a means of relief and comfort to past traumas, using light and colour to capture everyday experiences, such as through still-life and landscapes.

The result is the inspiring ‘Into the Light, The Joy of Painting’ collection, which visitors to the library can now see for themselves and which HSC manager, Aviva Trup, praises as “a real celebration of life and the talent of the artists in the group”.

He continues, “It’s a joy to see their work at The Wiener Library, whom we have partnered with to create this positive exhibition. The art group is so important to its members, both as a form of self-expression and as a space for survivors and refugees to be able to connect with each other on another level.”

Artist and teacher, Barbara Jackson, is particularly delighted that the group’s work has been chosen to be exhibited, having formed a strong bond with the HSC class.

Of the process, she stresses that the focus was always on enjoyment of art, saying, “It’s not meant to be a therapy group, it’s just the act of doing art together that’s very therapeutic in itself.”

One of the group members, Renie Inow, whose work is featured in the exhibition, reflects that having the art class has allowed her to be ‘herself’ within a group for the first time. She says, “It was my parents who gave me and my siblings a love of nature and most of my paintings have trees in them which symbolise stability and life.”

Visitors to The Weiner Library can view the exhibition until April 10.