Artwork highlighting horrors of the Holocaust returns to Liverpool

May 12 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

RESPECTacles exhibition _320

A WORK of art highlighting the horrors of the Holocaust is going on display again – due to massive public demand.

Thousands visited the original five-day exhibition at Liverpool Town Hall in January to commemorate National Holocaust Memorial Day.

Now it is set to engage visitors when it goes on display at World Museum Liverpool.

The impressive RESPECTacles display uses 100,000 pairs of donated glasses used to create a striking, atmospheric artwork.

Exhibition organisers have also received glasses and messages of support from a host of celebrities including: Daniel Radcliffe, Tony Blair, Yoko Ono, Steven Fry, Jerry Springer, Paul O’Grady, Ronnie Corbett, Michael Fish, Julie Walters and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. All the donated eyewear is on display.

An image of piles of mangled pairs of glasses was one of the stark remainders of the sheer scale of death and human suffering during the Holocaust.

The unique RESPECTacles project wants to put across the message that all individuals can play their part in genocide prevention simply by having, showing and insisting upon RESPECT for other human beings and for their differences.

Every school in the city has been invited to visit the exhibition.

John Millard, executive director of collections management at National Museums Liverpool, said: "It's dramatic. It's moving. We're proud to be showing it at the museum."

The free exhibition runs from May 14- August 17, from 10am till 5pm.