The Skin of Memory

This short video-art shows how the number tattoo has become the predominant symbol of the Shoah. For those that bear these tattoos, their bodies can be seen as memorials, warning us of the dangers of forgetting. Argentinean artist, Mirta Kupferminc, the daughter of Auschwitz survivors, grew up embraced by the numbered arms of her parents. Given the popularity of decorative tattoos today, Kupferminc's "The Skin of Memory" invites us to reflect on the differences between tattoos chosen as ornamental designs and forced numbering.