Vergeet dit nooit! Possibly 1941 - 1945

This print by Comité Neêrlands Vrijheidsdag presents a street reduced to rubble under a stormy sky. The image is anchored by the Dutch text ‘Vergeet dit nooit!’ which translates to ‘Never forget this!’ Here, the wreckage, a potent symbol of destruction, serves as a stark memento mori. Such imagery echoes throughout history, from classical depictions of sacked cities to modern war photography. Think of the ruins of Pompeii or the haunting images of Dresden, each carrying the weight of human suffering and loss. These symbols, while unique in their context, converge on a shared emotional space, tapping into our collective memory of devastation and resilience. This act of remembering serves to heal, though it comes at the cost of trauma and a confrontation with our mortality. This symbol of destruction becomes a powerful force that engages viewers on a subconscious level. And so, this symbol is in constant evolution, reminding us to reflect on and consider the cyclical nature of history.