In this series titled “Mishpocheh” – (Yiddish for family), I explore the profound and haunting legacy of my Jewish ancestors.

Although most of my ancestors tragically perished in Auschwitz during WWII, my great Uncle Martin and great Aunt Eva toiled in the heart of darkness at Dachau but miraculously survived (both were liberated on April 29, 1945).

Martin, Eva, and my grandmother managed to save photos of their extended family while in Dachau. Since I inherited the negatives and albumen prints from my great Uncle Martin years back, I used them to create cyanotypes and new albumen prints for this collage series (to save the originals). Each image is a layer of time, a conscious choice to preserve fragments of the past with archaic printing processes dating back to the mid-1800’s when my great-great-grandparents were alive.

I have sought to bridge the chasm of time, weaving my ancestors’ stories into visual tapestries of remembrance — a testament to the indomitable human spirit.

These artworks serve as both a memorial and a celebration — to reflect on deep human experiences, the resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity, and the timeless power of art to transcend history and touch our souls.