Celebrating 75 years of liberation from World War II in Sittard with an exhibition that feels intimate and personal and reflects the local history. A contemporary exhibition proudly created by Chapters, that connects with its audience through a never-been-done-before presentation of history as a modern-day art installation that makes viewers think.
World War II is starting to become a distant memory for the next generation, as there are less and less storytellers who have survived the war to keep the memories alive. The personal connection to the war and the history of the Netherlands is starting to fade. To honour 75 years of liberation of The Netherlands, and especially Sittard, Chapters was commissioned by ‘De Domijnen’ to create an exhibition that celebrates the local history and reconnects the audience with their heritage.
With many events and exhibitions happening around the subject of 75 years of liberation, Chapters was challenged to create something unique. Keeping heritage alive is of major cultural and historical importance. How do we speak to a generation that has no connection to the war? By creating an exhibition that starts a dialogue. A contemporary exhibition that feels very personal and challenges the viewer to think. With the audience standing where their ancestors stood, telling them rare stories, and handing them the same dilemmas as their ancestors experienced, we would challenge the audience.
A contemporary exhibition that feels like an art installation with the topic of war has never been done before. It makes the history much more current, bringing it dangerously close by.Confronting and triggering the audience to identify with the local history is the concept of the exhibition.
Sittard in wartime. Experience the war through the eyes of the Mayor Coenders, the Jewish Hertzdahl family and American soldiers. See how the events unfolded and how history was made. See how dilemmas arise and how hard certain decisions can be when you’re in the midst of it.. What decisions would you have made? Would you have tried to be the hero? Would you have joined the resistance? Were these decisions simple or complex? And were they really this black and white?
The design of the exhibition is modern and loud. Bright red colours literally scream at the audience.The open and contemporary design of the installation draws attention to the objects.
In the exhibition, we are presenting the war objects as art objects, as art is always a conversation starter. The exhibition travels through the wartime, literally walking through the years, emphasizing on the duration and the impact of the war.
The visual communication is designed as a war pamphlet characteristic of the time, to make the wartime more touchable and more current. Every element connected to the exhibition is thoughtfully created with the vision to bring the war back to life in our daily lives.
To live in peace and freedom
has become so ordinary
that we have forgotten —
everyone deserves to live
in freedom and safety
Chapters designed and produced the exhibition and all communication in collaboration with Monos Advies.
