Wars are among the most haunting experiences of humankind. The associated suffering for millions of people through flight, displacement and death continue to shape public reporting in the present day. In a daily flood, images confront us with violence and grief, but also with heroic gestures and the glorification of military power.

On this occasion, the Silesian Museum is showing pictures from the 17th to the 21st century with different perspectives on the subject. With a special mixture of disgust and fascination, artists have encountered the events of war in great artistic diversity up to the present day. The aim of the special exhibition is to illustrate the difficult role of art in relation to the war and to present perspectives ranging from sympathetic contemporary witnessing to critical distance. The exhibition thus invites discussion on the culture of remembrance and the significance of images for history and the present.

We would especially like to thank the Erika Simon Foundation (Görlitz) for their generous financial support of the exhibition, as well as the Museum's Friends Association and for numerous donations of images to the museum.

The international conference „Art and War | Kunst und Krieg“ took place on the same topic in Görlitz and Jelenia Góra from November 15 to 18, 2023.