Tatra Gallery Poprad is established and organizes its activities within the wider area of the historical Spiš county in Prešov self-governing region and its districts Poprad, Kežmarok, Stará Ľubovňa, Levoča. The region is a place in which various ethnicities, nations and nationalities had lived in mutual agreement. It was changed during the Second World War when many people from among the Jews and Roma of the region were deported to the concentration camps. Recently, the number of the Roma population in the region is increasing which causes the growth of extremism, racism and xenophobia especially among the young generation. Spiš region, which is most populated by this minority, is geographically disadvantaged by its localization in the northeast of Slovakia and it is there where we intend to realize most of our project activities.
By our project ART & HOLOCAUST we want to commemorate, educate and affect senses of the young generation and of the general public through the various artistic events, educative lectures, film projections and also by direct engaging of the students and young people in the creative action. The gallery has suitable spaces for the realization of all activities
The project will consist of:
I. The creative and artistic level – exhibitions, art symposium, concerts, photography and film documentaries making
II. The educative level – lectures, film projections, excursions and discussions with students of various kinds of schools and with general public.
III. The scientific research level – Artists and the Holocaust – research, conferences on the artists of Slovakia and Norway on the theme of the Holocaust, publication of a conference proceeding, making of documentaries, newsletters, etc. The beginning of the project will be settled in the period of November 2023 .
We intend to exploit the opportunity for the artists to interact with genius loci of the place marked by trauma of the Holocaust through their site-specific projects during all events. We believe that the artists will be responsive enough to create a productive tension between past and present.
Social justice, equal opportunity, access to education and respect for language, cultural and human dignity are powerful instruments of improving coexistence between aforementioned groups, which we yearn to support by our project ART &HOLOCAUST.