Rosa Andraschek
Memory Spaces
16 Dec 2023 - 04 Feb 2024
Rosa Andraschek, Memory Spaces, 2023, video loop, 40 min, courtesy of the artist. Exhibition view Rosa Andraschek. Memory Spaces, Salzburger Kunstverein 2023. Photo: kunst-dokumentation
Rosa Andraschek, Salzburg – Places of Remembrance, 2023, C-prints Prints laminated on aluminum, each 40 x 60 cm, courtesy of the artist. Exhibition view Rosa Andraschek. Memory Spaces, Salzburger Kunstverein 2023. Photo: kunst-dokumentation
The exhibition by Rosa Andraschek focuses on the hidden and overlooked aspects of Austrian history, particularly the traces of forced labor during World War II. Andraschek’s works, rooted in her background in political science and contemporary history, reveal silent echoes of history that permeate public spaces yet remain unnoticed.
A central element of the exhibition is Andraschek’s video installation, which revives the stories of individuals connected to Austria's forced labor camps. The work is imbued with historical insights and personal narratives, serving as a channel for voices that have long been silenced, and highlights the resilience and struggles of those who are often just a footnote in history.
Complementing the video installation is Andraschek’s photographic series “Salzburg – Memory Sites, 2023.” The images documenting Kleßheimer Allee, Paumannplatz, and Söllheimer Straße, serve as a testament to the varied experiences of those who suffered under the forced labor system―from Soviet prisoners of war, who faced uncertain fates, to the women who endured hardships in the Educational Labor Camp established by the GESTAPO, and the Eastern Workers employed under abysmal conditions in local industries.
The interplay between the video installation and the photographic series invites a deeper understanding of Austria's wartime history but also challenges viewers to confront the lingering impacts of these events on our contemporary world.
A central element of the exhibition is Andraschek’s video installation, which revives the stories of individuals connected to Austria's forced labor camps. The work is imbued with historical insights and personal narratives, serving as a channel for voices that have long been silenced, and highlights the resilience and struggles of those who are often just a footnote in history.
Complementing the video installation is Andraschek’s photographic series “Salzburg – Memory Sites, 2023.” The images documenting Kleßheimer Allee, Paumannplatz, and Söllheimer Straße, serve as a testament to the varied experiences of those who suffered under the forced labor system―from Soviet prisoners of war, who faced uncertain fates, to the women who endured hardships in the Educational Labor Camp established by the GESTAPO, and the Eastern Workers employed under abysmal conditions in local industries.
The interplay between the video installation and the photographic series invites a deeper understanding of Austria's wartime history but also challenges viewers to confront the lingering impacts of these events on our contemporary world.