GHOSTS
A Family-Historical and Artistic Exploration of Käthe Niederkirchner
At the heart of the exhibition is the resistance fighter Käthe Niederkirchner, who was murdered in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. The artist and grandnephew Ilja Niederkirchner approaches the complex legacy of his great-aunt Käthe Niederkirchner through childhood memories, an investigation of the family archive, and in-depth historical research.
The exhibition seeks to unravel the heroic narrative that surrounds Käthe Niederkirchner. In doing so, the artist confronts his younger self – a self that struggled with the veneration of his great-aunt while lacking both a personal connection and deeper understanding. This sense of distance and mystery extends to other family members as well, including his great-grandfather Michael Niederkirchner. Through artistic means, Ilja Niederkirchner assembles the fragments of family history and confronts the silence and secrecy that shroud the legacy.
The exhibition touches on broader themes such as identity, memory, and the conflicting narratives of heroism and victimhood. The reflections are shaped by the innocence of childhood curiosity, the weight of historical legacy, and the growing awareness of the complexity of one’s own family past.
GHOSTS is not a tribute to a family heroine, but rather an intimate look at the haunting presence of history and how it continues to shape and influence the present. This exhibition offers an artistic exploration of the intersections between personal and collective memory—revealing the ghosts of a divided nation and the unspoken truths of a family.
The exhibition opened on Saturday, 17 August 2024, at the Ravensbrück Memorial Museum.
