Walter Benjamin 1990

Editor: Peter Kennard's "Walter Benjamin" is a stark image, a photomontage using black and white. It’s unsettling, with the looming face and defaced swastika. What symbols resonate with you in this piece? Curator: The layering of images, particularly the repetition of the Mona Lisa and the distorted swastika, creates a powerful visual metaphor for the corruption of cultural icons. Do you see how the bullet hole disrupts the symbol? Editor: Yes, it's like an attempt to destroy the past. Curator: Precisely, a desire to break free from the oppressive weight of history. Kennard asks us to consider how symbols are manipulated, and the consequences of their misuse. The face is Benjamin, the philosopher, seeking to understand history and the possibility of redemption. What do you feel about it? Editor: I see it now. It’s about reclaiming symbols, making sure they don't carry the same weight anymore. Curator: Exactly, history, memory, and the urgent need to confront destructive ideologies. Editor: Thank you, I'm starting to understand the relationship between symbolism and cultural trauma.