From June 21 – 28, 2018, the names of the 66,000 victims of the Shoah’s death in Austria will be written in an art action with many participants on the Prater Hauptallee, with white school chalk. The result is the movie “66,000”.
Until 1938, many Jewish families lived in the 2nd district. The Prater was a recreational area for them and the destination of many Sunday excursions, as long as Jews were allowed to enter the Prater. Even today many Jewish families live in the Leopoldstadt.The Prater and its main avenue are used in good weather diverse.
Visitors and flaneurs can watch the creation of the artwork and contact the writers when the names of the 66,000 Austrian victims of the Shoah written in white chalk on the Prater main avenue in a large-scale art action with many participants from 21 to 28 June Chalk is as simple as a tried and tested remedy. Everyone knows them, everyone has held them in their hands before. Nevertheless, the word written in chalk on the street is as fleeting as the course of history. After completing the action, the names stop, are washed away by the rain or fade in the sun. They dissolve.
What’s left is the movie.
If you follow the written rules for two kilometers, the extent of annihilation suddenly becomes visible. Five digits transform into a track that can not be surveyed with the naked eye.
“Writing against forgetting” can only succeed if many citizens participate. We hope for that and look forward to great and energetic commitment on your part.
The writing of names takes time, strength and concentration. We are happy if you only want to sign up for one hour, but still ask for a longer period of time (at least three hours), because it takes time to find your rhythm. It would be nice if you even want to write on several days.
The art action is photographed and filmed for later documentation, as well as a live stream is planned.