Judenplatz: Thomas Frankl’s gallery

I liked seeing the Thomas Frankl’s artwork in person – and I learned something about Adolf Frankl that Thomas hadn’t told us before: one of the blurbs on the wall said that Adolf Frankl counted Van Gogh as an influencer of his work. After learning that fact, it is surprisingly clear, at least in terms of color and texture, that that was the case. I expected Adolf Frankl’s work to be much darker, but the brightness makes sense now. And this detail about Thomas’ father is important to me too because the Holocaust, for me and I imagine many others, seems really distant and unimaginable – and as a result I still feel secure and safe when talking about it because I am separate physically and can duly force myself to separate my emotions as well. But when I learn a detail about a Holocaust victim or survivor – like that he admired a painter that I also delight in, or in Kluger’s case, that familial troubles were still real and affecting – I am led closer to these people and stories, and I cannot detach myself as I did before. And it’s startling and unsettling when that happens, but the vulnerability of talking about these things is refreshing. Perhaps it is the only way atrocities like the Holocaust can end today and be avoided in the future. Thoughtful commemoration is a difficult task.