Visitors to the Victoria and Albert Museum will be able to interact with digital holograms of Holocaust survivors thanks to a ground-breaking initiative.
The Forever Project, set up by the National Holocaust Museum near Nottingham, will be available this week as part of the V&A’s current National Holocaust Memorial exhibition.
The project took 10 survivors, asking them each more than 1,000 questions on their life experiences. The interactive technology means that people can ask questions to the image of the survivor – who will then answer them directly.
The holograms have been on show at the centre in Nottingham but this is the first time they have been seen in London.
They will be on show alongside the V&A’s display of the 10 the shortlisted designs for the National Memorial, which is due to be built next to Parliament
Sarah Coward, from the centre, said: “Meeting a Holocaust survivor in person is a remarkable experience. It has a real impact on young people who need to understand that these horrific events happened in the all-too-recent past.
“It is wonderful that we have the opportunity at the V&A to give an insight into the Forever Project, which will preserve the experience of meeting a survivor and hearing their testimony for generations to come.”
Sir Peter Bazalgette, chair of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, said: “It is a sad reality that there will come a time when survivors will no longer be able to be with us to tell us their stories. Yet we need to hear these stories now more than ever – to understand what it is that can break society apart and how we can play our part in standing up to hatred, whatever form it may appear in.
“One of the first acts of the Foundation was to recommend that government fund this project, which goes to the heart of our mission to support educational partners across the country in their work to preserve and share the stories of the Holocaust.”
The Forever Project will be available for V&A visitors to see and interact with from August 14-18, between at 11am and 2pm
