Fred’s Journey
Aachen Germany
October 23, 1944
On or about October 23rd I entered the first German city to fall to our forces, the imperial but now roofless city of Aachen, a good thousand years old. A very new Church of the Holy Ghost on the outskirts had been the scene of a firefight and a wrecked tram stood by the forlorn and empty church. Down by the Cathedral, I saw an aged woman lugging two suitcases as she crawled over stone pilings. Where was she going with her pitiful burden?
Artist’s Statement
- Ariana Makau
From
When I read Fred’s account, I knew instantly that if I were to do this piece two of the shards would be the woman’s suitcases. The figure carrying the shards would visually connect the text to my images, and to Fred’s act of collecting the shards and recounting his experiences.
Layered glass plates create the depth in this piece, suggesting the numerous impacts of war-on a country, map, town, church, woman. The woman is closest, and clearest. One may try to focus elsewhere but she is still there in the foreground, a constant reminder that war affects individual people.
Artist Information
-
Ariana Makau
Specifications
Number of shards: 8
Dimensions: 10″ × 13 1⁄2″ × 11⁄8″
Medium: sandblasted, painted and cast fused glass
