Portraits For Posterity - Release For Lichfield DC What's On Magazine

October sees the launch of a three venue photographic exhibition entitled “Portraits for Posterity”, a unique memorial to the survivors of the Holocaust.

 

South Staffordshire College’s Lichfield campus in the Friary, Lichfield Cathedral and the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas will join together in presenting an exhibition of survivor portraits by respected photographer Matt Writtle, who started his career locally.

 

The exhibition will be formally opened by Graham Morley, Chief Executive Principal of South Staffordshire College, on October 19^th, with invited guests and survivor testimonies, and the

three-site exhibition will be open to the public until Sunday 14^th

 

November (see later for details at various venues).

 

Portraits for Posterity had a highly acclaimed debut exhibition at London’s City Hall in January 2009, with enthusiastic reviews in the national media.  It was then decided to include Holocaust survivors living in other areas of the country.

 

This local dimension will be the underlying theme of the Lichfield event, making it a compelling opportunity for local people to “reach out and touch” the legacy left by the world’s most pernicious regime.

 

The three sites provide contrasting venues, each of which adds its own dimension to the exhibition. Lichfield Cathedral has been a centre of Christian worship for over 1,300 years, and a place of pilgrimage, history and prayer;

The National Memorial Arboretum is the UK’s year-round centre of Remembrance; a spiritually uplifting place which honours the fallen, recognises service and sacrifice, and fosters pride in our country.  The Arboretum is part of The Royal British Legion family of charities.  And South Staffordshire College’s Lichfield campus is a world-class seat of learning dedicated to the creative arts.

 

2015 will mark the 70^th anniversary of the defeat of the Third

 

Reich and the liberation of the Nazi camps.  It will also be the last major commemoration to feature a significant participation by the victims themselves.

 

Portraits for Posterity is dedicated to educating both young and old about the Holocaust by providing a highly visual, flexible and mainstream gateway to this invaluable historical record.

 

Each portrait is accompanied by a short biography drawn from the sitter’s own

words and includes a message for the 21^st century. 

 

Viewing times are as follows:-

 

South Staffordshire College, Lichfield campus - Wedge Gallery

Tuesday 12 October to Friday 12 November

9.00am to 9.00pm weekdays and 9.00am to 6.00pm Fridays and during half term (25 - 29 Oct) and 9.00am - 1.00pm on the Saturdays.

For further information please visit the website – www.southstaffs.ac.uk  

 

Lichfield Cathedral

Tuesday 19 October to Sunday 14 November

Lichfield Cathedral will be open from 7.30am to 6.15pm on weekdays,

from 8.00am to 6.15pm on Saturdays and from 7.30am to 5.00pm on Sundays.

For further information please visit the website www.lichfield-cathedral.org

 

National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas

Monday, 11^th October to Sunday, 14^th November   09:00 to 17:00 -  

for further details call 01283 792333 or email info@thenma.org.uk or visit the website www.thenma.org.uk

More Information About The Photographer

 

Matt Writtle began his career at the Shropshire Star in 1992, moving on to major newspapers in both Sydney and Hong Kong, then returning to the UK to live in London, where he is now based.

 

He has worked for most of the national newspaper groups and the Press Association news agency.  Current clients include The Times, The Guardian, Daily Telegraph and London Evening Standard along with a number of influential commercial, charitable and PR clients.

 

 

More Information About Portraits For Posterity

 

Portraits for Posterity is an independent project begun in late 2007 by Jacki Reason and Jan Marsh in collaboration with Matt Writtle.  In close liaison with London’s survivor community the first thirty portraits were produced during 2008.  Jacki Reason is an editor and writer while Jan Marsh is a writer and curator.

 

The project complements the Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations that take place throughout Britain in January of each year, providing an educational and community resource that will be available for future generations.

 

If you would like to support Portraits for Posterity with a donation, you can contact info@portraitsforposterity.com.

 

 

 

 

 

<< Back to news list