Sammelt Knochen! 1944

Curator: This chilling graphite drawing is titled "Sammelt Knochen!" which translates to "Gather Bones!" It was created in 1944 by Karl Wiener. My first impression? Overwhelming. The darkness looming behind the stark, chaotic pile of bones feels absolutely oppressive. Editor: The oppressive mood speaks volumes, doesn't it? Contextually, Wiener made this piece during a particularly horrific time, reflecting a society wrestling with death and displacement on a massive scale. I see it as less a depiction of literal bone collection, and more a commentary on the dehumanization inherent in war and genocide. Curator: Absolutely. The way the bones are arranged – haphazard, almost carelessly strewn – denies any sense of individual humanity, which I find both disturbing and powerful. It evokes a sort of anti-monumentality. Instead of honoring the dead, there's this chaotic jumble. It's a slap in the face. I'm thinking, Wiener's seeing some dark things… dark, dark, dark things. Editor: The skeletal remains take on a metonymic quality, representing not just physical death, but the disintegration of social structures and the erosion of moral boundaries. Look at the skyline barely visible through the bone pile—it resembles the skeletal frame of once standing architecture reduced to jagged edges against the sky, reflecting trauma, decay, ruin, the crushing weight of history bearing down. It highlights precarity on both a societal and deeply personal level. Curator: And look at the perspective; everything seems crammed together. It’s claustrophobic even, almost as if we the viewers are trapped in this macabre scene. It mirrors the psychological state of being besieged, constantly confronted with the evidence of mortality. It seems Wiener is screaming for people to face it! See what happens! Editor: The style is striking as well, blending social realism and German Expressionism. On one hand, there's an attempt to represent the raw reality of suffering, but then the skewed perspectives, the heavy lines and the contrast heighten the emotional impact. It’s less objective reporting and more of a visceral response, wouldn't you agree? The title itself, handwritten on the artwork, emphasizes that call to see…to gather and confront, to deal with it, lest it overcomes us all. Curator: I'd say. The work acts almost as an involuntary outpouring. You can’t help but feel what Wiener felt when staring at who knows what… what kind of pile… It seeps in, under your defenses, and before you realize, your head is spinning with these…bone thoughts… Editor: Bone thoughts! I love that, beautifully put. It remains a potent reminder of the human capacity for destruction but also for bearing witness. It urges us to remember and prevents the possibility of looking away from the harsh realities and haunting vestiges of history.