Tami Poliwoda is an animation artist from Toronto, Canada. She has studied at IADT, Sheridan College, and OCAD University. She has found continued success in creating engaging animation independently, or as part of a team, in a variety of sectors (kids television, adult comedy, social media ads, music videos, commercials, etc.)
Exploring Creative Resilience: Art Created During the Holocaust
The following artworks were created despite of and in defiance of the dehumanizing conditions of the Auschwitz-Birkenau former German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp. Over 1.1 million men, women, and children lost their lives during the Holocaust in this camp alone. These artworks hold momentous historical and emotional value. The artworks were created by the prisoners for many reasons: as escapism, to regain a sense of self, to maintain their mental health, to document the unspeakable horrors, and more. Every time a prisoner decided to draw, they risked their life and safety. Not many drawings survived, but the ones we have are a treasure.
During WW2, the prisoners of concentration camps created numerous artworks while imprisoned. These artworks were illegal to make, and were created under great personal risk. Some of the recovered works have been shared publicly by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. Currently, the work can be found, with some difficulty, by navigating the official
Auschwitz website. This collection has inspired me to create a virtual gallery to proudly display the work of these artists in a user friendly way. The goal of this project is to present the artwork
in a way that places power and importance on the artists as creators, rather than as victims. I also want to ensure this gallery is made to be extremely accessible, in order for the information to be shared as easily as possible