Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano – Cultural and Spiritual Life in Ghetto Theresienstadt

The exhibition “Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano” attempts to portray the power of cultural life in the ghetto almost from its establishment until its final days. The exhibition presents artistic and psychological perspectives that allowed the inmates to continue with their lives despite the harsh circumstances of death, hunger, illness, and uncertainty. The exhibition depicts the power and meaning of culture at Ghetto Theresienstadt. The exhibition presents artistic and psychological perspectives that allowed the inmates to continue with their lives despite the harsh circumstances.

The exhibition was shaped to resemble an attic in the ghetto, similar to the attics where many cultural events were held. The windows featured throughout the exhibition provide a glance into the streets of the ghetto and everyday life there, while the inner space is a type of bubble, displaying the impressive culture produced in the ghetto – art, spiritual life, music, and humor. All while the transports continued to arrive and depart to the unknown.