By Marysia Zipser and Janine Moore
We paid a special visit to Newark on Friday to view the Six Million White Roses art
exhibition on the ground floor of the town’s Market Square Buttermarket building, which has
been extended to Saturday 26th November.
Opening hours 10.00-15.30, Market Square, Newark NG24 1AL
Photographs by Janine Moore and Marysia Zipser
The exhibition is dedicated to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, victims of war
worldwide, and to those who stand up to hatred. All art works are for sale, and support the
National Holocaust Centre and Museum, Laxton, Nottinghamshire.
It made for such an impressive and emotional display by artists, makers and ceramists
curated by arts promoter Susi Wright and artist Lynne Whitfield.
Over 40 artists, sculptors and ceramicists have created new work for this exhibition. Artists
include Tom Voyce (Sky's Landscape Artist of the Year), Sara Captain, Harry Charles Tim,
Tom Shepherd, Nikki McKay, Soo Durham, Brian West, Ian Whitfield, Adele Billinghay,
Alison Kemp, Debbie Davidge, Sian Bristow, Jilian Riley, Helen Domleo, Liz Black-Dowding,
Nita Rao, Tina Weatherby, David Moore, Dawn Ogden-White, Jackie Whall, Joshua Haith,
Lindsey Jones, Lynne Whitfield, Margie Andrews-Reichelt, Pat Murray, Philip Holmes, Susie
Daniel, T M Cam, Debi Lane, Anne Gimson, Annouk Lea, D A Orli, Dawn Feeney, Irma
Ismiegiene, John Menendez, Oliver Lovely, Lorraine Worrall, Jennie McCall and Lita
Narayan.
Ruth Schweining has given, on loan, her favourite piece of work (completed in 2006) which
is called ‘Love’ and is of her parents. Ruth is a glass artist and Holocaust survivor.
Janine Moore comments
“On visiting the Six Million White Roses exhibition at the Buttermarket in Newark together
with Marysia, I experienced a myriad of emotions. The awe-inspiring artwork and depth of
feeling that comes through with each piece has given me a whole new sense of humility
towards the history of the Holocaust, learning heart wrenching stories through the different
styles of art, poetry, and creativity; I felt love, hope, despair, and a deep sadness.
Sue McFarlane's recital of her poem “With My Blessing” was beautiful and emotive, she
brought a tear to my eye. It was inspired by the picture “Mummy Don’t Let Me Go” by Lynne
Whitfield. Lynne’s artwork was inspired by a talk by Ruth Schweining who was a girl put onto
the Kinder-transport at the age of three, to come to England.
The art exhibition is a great credit to the National Holocaust Centre and Museum.”
With My Blessing
I embrace you so closely as I hold in all my tears,
Letting you go will never lessen my fears.
Gasping for air now, as I hug you so tight,
Unable to break bread with you, after tonight.
Forgive me for putting you on this strange train
With others you don’t know but are sharing your pain.
Wherever your journey goes, please write to me,
I’ll endeavour to stay where you’ve known me to be.
Treasure your case, full of small mementoes; ‘Mummy Don’t Let Me Go’ by Lynne Whitfield
Your hairbrush, my best shawl and some family photos.
Make the most of all hours travelling along distant tracks.
Commit views to memory as I become part of your past.
While you tend to your hair, each morning and eve
Remember I never, ever, wanted you to leave.
My hope is that we will, in time, re-unite.
Take care, my dear daughter and with my blessing, good night.
(c) Sue McFarlane
Photos by Janine Moore
Marysia Zipser comments
“The Buttermarket entrance leads you through the interior colonnade to the spacious art
gallery with light flooding in. It is a beautiful exhibition curated with great sensitivity.
Colours, textures and shapes play their parts effectively and dramatically.
I had been aware of this exhibition taking place in mid-October and vowed to visit as my
father Mieczyslaw Zipser (1912-2001) used to make Polish Air Force Association & Newark
Town Council annual visits to Newark cemetery to honour his compatriots fallen during the
Second World War. He served in 304 Polish (Wellington) Bomber Squadron, together with
his brother Zbyszek Zipser, as Engineers, both from Lwow (now Lviv Ukraine).
When I was seven years old in 1959, my father brought me and our family by car to Poland
to visit our family relations in Krakow and over the country. While there, he took me and my
two elder brothers to Auschwitz concentration camp. My mother pleaded with him not to
take me being so young, but he said he wanted us to remember what had happened to the
Jews at the death camps and never forget. He was right, I can remember every detail and
horror of that day. My mother was also right, because I had nightmares over the following
weeks and months.
My father’s eulogy can be read here written by his godson, Krys Cietak of Warwick
I shall visit the National Holocaust Centre and Museum in Laxton shortly to support this
exhibition’s aim to make visitors aware and to remember those lost lives.
I will never forget.”
The elegant 18th century Buttermarket building and conservatory, is in many ways the
perfect venue for this important art exhibition. The natural light changes, moving around the
gallery, enhancing and showcasing each painting in turn with the passing hours.
Photos by Marysia Zipser
***
Please feel free to write any comments below and to share this article/blog on social media
or by emailing this link to your friends, family relations, and associations in Newark, UK and
around the world. Thank you.
Marysia Zipser and Janine Moore
https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/meet-the-team
Links here:
304 Polish Bomber Squadron:
I'm pleased my sister, Marysia, sent the link of this exhibition. Living on the South coast, there was no opportunity to have attended, but having heard about it, and getting information on the National Holocaust Museum at Laxton, I'm very glad of the publicity and continued awareness of the atrocities of W.W.2 by the Nazis it has contributed to. These memories, handed down by our parents helped to mould our characters, and we must continue to encourage the present generation to retain this vivid witness in their hearts and minds. John Zipser
Dear Marysia,
Thank you very much for your review and compliment. An exceptional art exhibition dedicated to the six million jews murdered in the Holocaust, victims of war worldwide, and to those who stand up to hatred. An exhibition that contains great significance and that pushes visitors to encourage reflection on the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism and discrimination and on the importance of freedom, rights and democracy today’s world, still trampled. Unfortunately, this isn't what happens, which confirms that history doesn't always teach us, but often feeds oblivion in the minds of the weak. The involvement of the 40 artists in this place of memory is admirable, which documents a process of progressive denial of fundamental rights not only for…
From blogger Yaksh Singh, India...
"A wonderful review article Marysia and Janine! 😊🤗 🌹"
I have had the privilege of having a piece of my writing feature in this extraordinary exhibition. I have felt very humbled from the moment I was asked to write it & have cried many tears in its creation and readings.
The very fact that the event has been able to take place at all is quite phenomenal and testament to Susi & Lynne’s talents, perseverance & organisation. Local cooperations have enabled it to fruition.
its so important that this part of history should never be forgotten..
Thanow to the authors of this blog for bringing the event to a wider audience too.
On LinkedIn by Pam Miller, Fine Artist, Nottingham, UK "Such a powerful review article of the ‘Six Million White Roses Art Exhibition at the Buttermarket’, in Newark, I felt as though I was walking through the building, experiencing the pain and loss of so many lives, the poem within this exhibition. quoted here, affected me so deeply, reading the words of a mother to her daughter as she was separated from her and had to let her go….and then to open the link onto your LinkedIn profile page, Marysia Zipser, and read Krzys Cietak's eulogy of your father (who had been his Godfather) and all your father’s experience during the war years with his brother was both riveting and emotionally challenging…