History in the making
THE travel trunk of Holocaust survivor and artist Marianne Grant, who lived in Newton Mearns, will be used to tell part of the world's history.
The BBC project, A History of the
World, began this week and links
museums from across the UK,
highlighting objects with both local and
global significance.
The stories behind the objects are
uploaded to a website: www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld.
And Marianne's trunk — which is part
of the collection at Kelvingrove museum
— is among items chosen so far.
Marianne was born in Prague in 1921,
and imprisoned in Auschwitz and Bergen-
Belsen concentration camps during
World War Two.
She survived because of her artistic
talent. After her skill at drawing and
painting was discovered,
notorious Nazi scientist Dr Josef
Mengele, the notorious angel of
death, ordered her to record images of
his medical experiments.
After the war, Marianne used the
trunk to transport a collection of works
she made in the Prague ghetto and
in the camps, to her new home in Scotland.
She first settled in Battlefield with
husband Jack Grant, before moving to
Newton Mearns when his work took him
to the synagogue there. The couple had
three children.
In 2002, Kelvingrove displayed
Marianne's pictures and published a book
about her called I knew I was painting for
my life. Glasgow museums purchased
some of her work in 2006, and Marianne
died in 2007.
Among other items from Glasgow
museums to reflect the history of the
world is the pair of big banana boots designed by artist John Byrne.
Now on display at the People's Palace the unique
footwear was worn on stage by Billy
Connolly in 1972's The Great Northern
Welly Boot Show.
Another chosen artefact
is the South African locomotive, to go on
display at the new Riverside transport
museum.
Southsiders are also invited to upload
their own objects to enhance the digital
museum.
Angela Roberts, BBC project
manager for A History of the World in
Scotland, said: "We want everyone to be
involved uploading images to the website.
"It could be a ticket from an
international football match, or a family
heirloom such as a teapot— as long as it
has both Scottish and world significance.
"Some of the objects may have
monetary value but others little or none.
Nonetheless they're priceless in how they
bring to life moments from history".
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Wednesday 30 May 2012
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