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FRANKLY, A TRUE INSPIRATION

By Lisa Spurgin ⋅ February 4, 2008 ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

‘ANNE FRANK + YOU’

We all know Anne Frank from the history books but a special exhibition at Liverpool Cathedral is giving the opportunity to gain a unique insight into her short but inspiring life. Anne Frank + You is part of Liverpool’s commemoration of National Holocaust Memorial Day 2008 and nowhere else is the event so strongly highlighted than through a celebration of a central figure of the tragedy, a young girl whose determination to make her voice heard embody two key themes of NHMD ’08 – the importance of reflection and reaction in combating prejudice. The most striking feature of the exhibition is undoubtedly the life-size recreation of Anne and her family’s secret hideaway. The tiny room plays host to written and filmed excerpts of the famous diary while also adorned with picture-postcards of glamorous movie stars – a poignant contrast which serves to show Anne as a normal teenage girl while also making her resilience in the face of adversity seem all the more remarkable. The displays of happy family pictures alongside harrowing symbols of the Holocaust also make a deep emotional impact. There is a definite strong modern influence through various films with British teenagers exploring issues such as racism, bullying and terrorism, showing that some things can never be truly resigned to the past – yet the power of human survival lives on. The free exhibition runs until February 8th.