(February 17, 2009 - Jerusalem) “Bruno Schulz: Wall Painting under Coercion”, a new display at the Yad Vashem Museum of Holocaust Art, will open on Friday, February 20, 2009. The display includes three wall paintings, the last known work of Bruno Schulz before his murder at the hands of an SS man on November 19, 1942, as well as other works by and information about the writer and artist. This is the first time ever these wall paintings are being put on display.

The event will take place at 10:30 in the Yad Vashem Auditorium, in Hebrew (English translation available). Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Vladislav Kornienko, Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev, and Senior Art Curator Yehudit Shendar will offer remarks. Author David Grossman will speak on “All the Infinitely Possible”.

Bruno Schulz was born in Drohobycz (then Poland, today Ukraine). A Jewish author and artist, he was forced to embellish with fairy-tale protagonists the walls of the nursery in a house occupied by S.S. man Felix Landau. He was later shot to death by an SS sergeant on a day of pogroms in the city of Drohobycz. Despite being forced to paint the room by a brutal slave master, Schulz managed to maintain his distinctive artistic style, and his trademark inclusion of self-portraits in the works.

Some 60 years after they were made, the works were discovered in a state of neglect and disrepair. Since their arrival at Yad Vashem, they have undergone professional conservation to ensure that no further deterioration of the materials and colors occurs in the future. The paintings are on long-term loan from the Drohobychyna Museum, Ukraine.

The event is open to the press in coordination with the Media Relations Department; Preview tours available Friday morning. RSVP required.