This is part of a moving
memorial to the deportation of Jews, homosexuals and other
'deviants' during the Second World War. It's hidden away
relatively unknown just round the corner from Notre Dame, and
makes for some stunning photos. Here we are inside the
structure, which has been designed to make you feel something of
what the deportees must have felt, imprisoned between tall
narrow walls of grim unforgiving concrete.
The thing we are looking at
here could almost be a picture on the wall, but in fact is a
long tunnel lined with many thousands of little beads, each one
representing one of the unfortunates. Apposite cuneiform
inscriptions add to the oppressive atmosphere, highlighted in
red and capable of bringing a lump to the throat...
I gave the photo a harsh
treatment to match the emotions I experience when I enter this
shrine. I wanted the violence to be present through the
roughness of the walls and the minimalism of the colours. The
little flight of steps, for me, say... be careful, we're only a
couple of paces away from this madness at any given time... it
could have been you.
