Deformation I c. 1927

Karl Wiener, an artist whose life was tragically cut short at 48, created this intense drawing entitled Deformation I, with colored pencils. Wiener’s personal history is deeply intertwined with the tumultuous events of the early 20th century. Wiener, who was Jewish, was deported to Auschwitz in 1942, but survived his imprisonment. His life and work were very much affected by the rise of fascism and antisemitism. His art bears witness to the psychological impact of political persecution. Deformation I is an explosion of fractured geometric shapes rendered in vibrant colors. These shapes seem to struggle against the constraints of a dark grid. This drawing might be an emotional response to the Holocaust's systematic dehumanization and its shattering effect on identity. In confronting this deformation, we grapple not only with the past, but also with the ongoing struggle to repair the fragments of shattered lives and communities.