An extraordinary story of moments of catharsis from Poland to Chile... For Sunday Miscellany on RTÉ Radio 1, listen to Catharsis by Oliver Sears above.
The invasion of Ukraine came a week after my mother, Monika's 83rd birthday, which I had celebrated in Chile, where she lives, with her husband, Carlos who is almost 88. The war had punctuated an unusual week of reflection, coming at the end of an exhibition I had mounted, with my wife, Catherine Punch. The Objects of Love, presented at Dublin Castle, had been years in the planning and its launch was delayed a further 12 months by COVID.
Comprising a precious collection of objects, photographs and documents the exhibition tells the story of a Jewish family before, during and after Nazi occupation in Poland. The family, of course, is mine and my mother, who survived the Warsaw Ghetto and countless other reckless encounters with mortality, was observing the unfolding reaction to the exhibition with revolving sentiments.
Listen to more from Sunday Miscellany here.
