Through the Eye of the Needle: Fabric Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz

In 1977, at the age of 50, Esther Nisenthal Krinitz began creating works of fabric art to tell her story of survival during the Holocaust. Trained as a dressmaker but untrained in art, she created a collection of 36 fabric pictures of strong, vivid colors and striking details with a sense of folk-like realism. Meticulously stitched words beneath the pictures provide a narrative and the combined effect of story and art is powerful. While the pictures are visually pleasing, a closer examination reveals the shocking incongruity between the pastoral surroundings and human violence, terror and betrayal depicted.

This Art and Remembrance Inc. exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated children’s book Memories of Survival and a fully developed educator guide.

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