Germano
On view now in the Kunstkabinet: a presentation by photographer and artist Sarah Mei Herman (Amsterdam, 1980). In 2016, Herman found a box of photos taken by her grandfather Mordechai. Together with his youngest brother Jehuda, he ran a photography studio in Kaunas, Lithuania before the Second World War. The studio was called Foto Germano, Lithuanian for Herman.
Foto Germano specialised in family portraits. Herman recognises her own work in the portraits that her grandfather made in the 1920s and 1930s: the composition, the still faces and subdued looks. The discovery was the starting point for an investigation into the pre- and post-war history of the Germano family. During a stay in Kaunas, Herman conducted archival research and explored the places where her family members lived and worked.
In 2016, she visited Tonia Levin (1925-2019), the daughter of her grandfather’s eldest brother. At that time, she was the only living family member who had personal experience of the photo studio. Levin barely survived the Holocaust and moved to Israel after the war.
Levin’s memories are central to this installation. Using archival documents, letters, multimedia elements and recent family portraits, Herman has composed an ode to Levin and the strength with which she rebuilt her life after the war.
Location
The exhibition is in the Jewish Historical Museum (JHM), Nieuwe Amstelstraat 1, 1011PL, Amsterdam. The JHM is housed in the centuries-old former synagogue complex of the Ashkenazi Jewish community.
ADMISSION
Your ticket provides admission to all exhibitions in all locations in the Jewish Cultural Quarter. You may also attend all events without any additional charge (unless otherwise indicated). Museumkaart holders do not need a ticket.
