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For best viewing and interaction options, we recommend opening the exhibit on your desktop.
The David Labkovski Project is proud to share the virtual installation of A Visual Diary of the Past: The Work of David Labkovski (1906-1991). The exhibit was designed and curated by the 7 recipients of the Ellie Lainer Youth Leadership Award.
This exhibit was created in order to build a bridge from the past to the present—to begin conversations, foster compassion and empathy, and understand the connectivity of history to the world today. It uses interactive elements and a timeline to help viewers understand the artist’s experiences at the time the art was created.
Much of David Labkovski’s work acts as synecdoche for the human toll of hatred, racism, and antisemitism. His art shares the story of his own experiences and that of his beloved Jewish community of Vilna (current day Vilnius, Lithuania). By depicting life before, during, and after the Holocaust, Labkovski’s art creates a lens to better understand the past and as a guide for the future. His visual diary and depictions of the atrocities committed by the Nazis and their local collaborators share the spectrum of the human experience: from joy to pain, from trauma to resilience.
The social problems DLP teaches about are the effects of antisemitism and the genocide of the Holocaust. Students make connections to historical themes of discrimination, persecution, and Holocaust denial that are still present in today’s society. We encourage viewers to bear witness to history, and challenge you to see the humanity of all people.
In today’s political climate learning about the Holocaust is more important than ever. Think about the ways that you want to be remembered. What can you do to advocate for tolerance and inclusion? How will our story be remembered?
“The David Labkovski project has enabled me to gain a new perspective of the Holocaust through the lens of David Labkovski’s artwork. To be a docent in the DLP means being able to comprehend David’s personal experience and being able to dissect and describe his works of art. This includes understanding the composition of his pieces and its details in order to fully comprehend David’s motives in constructing his art. I believe that students should join the DLP so that they too can learn about David’s experiences and be able to gain the tools necessary to understand how to look at a piece of artwork. I am currently a Docent in the DLP’s training program, and I participated in the Reflect and Respond Program. I also contributed to the David Labkovski website where my role was to create interactive images of David’s artwork using a software known as Thinglink. This interactive feature will allow viewers to click through different icons which will lead them through an interactive tour of David’s artworks.”
“I am so grateful for this award, but it absolutely pales in comparison to the experience of actually working on this exhibit with the rest of the curation team. My role in this project was mostly supportive, so I helped with brainstorming and organizing ideas, and I also researched and wrote our sections on queer and transgender people affected by the Holocaust. As a queer and trans individual, it was incredibly meaningful to see these stories included in our exhibit and to be a part of making that happen. As a Jewish person, it was life-changing to connect with this community and do this work together. The exhibit in its entirety is a beautiful and really powerful reminder that we are the ones who keep history, and the ones who humanize it. This is hard work, and it matters.”
“When I began with the David Labkovski Project, I never knew about the mass killings happening in the Ponary forest. I knew about the millions of people lost to the Nazis, but never quite understood the horrific extremes the Nazis went to. This is just one example of the gaps in my understanding of the Holocaust that the DLP filled. Learning about the Holocaust, not through numbers or writing, but in art, gave me a new and more powerful understanding of the tragedy. While I knew these issues were important and critical to discuss, I felt held back by my shyness and my introverted personality. However, by participating in the DLP’s student docent program I feel equipped with the tools to communicate these difficult topics. I now use these skills to work with other amazing curators to make an accessible and interactive website telling Labkovski’s story and the story of the Holocaust.”
“The David Labkovski Project has forever changed my view of art and the Holocaust. Previously, I was unaware of how a piece of art, its colors, brush strokes, and facial features could tell a story. Teaching the history of the Holocaust through the lens of art adds another dimension of emotion, connection, and understanding to the events of the past. I would have never known about the culturally rich town of Vilna or the horrors of the Gulag without the DLP and David Labkovski sharing every stage of his life story through his artwork. His paintings are an enriching and lasting tool for bearing witness to and learning about the Holocaust. I hope to share the work of David Labkovski with many others in order to promote awareness and understanding of this crucial part of our history.”
“While I have studied the Holocaust for many years, that education doesn’t compare to the unique and nuanced perspective that I gained during the Docent Training Program through the David Labkovski Project. The program allowed me to understand and interpret history through art, inspiring me to integrate creative ways of expression into my own life as well. The DLP has also impacted me personally, as learning about David Labkovski’s early life in Vilna gave me a glimpse into where my own Eastern European ancestors lived. I highly encourage others to participate in the David Labkovski Project as studying the past is such a valuable tool in fostering a welcoming and unified community in the present.”
“Working with the David Labkovski Project taught me about the intersection of art and history. The Project gave me the opportunity to learn about how to use art to educate audiences about the Holocaust. I was able to explore this method of Holocaust education as a result of participating in the David Labkovski Project. I think that people should participate in the David Labkovski Project in order to gain a deeper understanding of art and its importance in relation to Holocaust education. Additionally, the David Labkovski Project has taught me so much about Holocaust education, art, and teamwork. I believe that anyone who wishes to become stronger in these areas would benefit greatly from working with the Project.”
“Being a part of the David Labkovski Project has taught me so much about being a part of something with a bigger meaning. Through the process of learning to be a docent, I learned more about the history of the Holocaust in the context of the rest of the world. As a curator, I got the opportunity to work with amazing and driven students from around the country, as we all learned the behind the scenes of an art exhibit and how to use art as a tool for education. Overall, it was a great experience, and I recommend it to anyone who loves art, history, and is willing to do their part in educating their community.”