UTW 61

Multiple-Amputee awaiting deportation, Lodz, Poland

Art: 2011-2013
Media: Mosaic-drawing combo
Size: 71 inches H x 51 W
The drawing: Ink, gouache, pencil; paper size: 43 inches H x 38 inches W.

The drawing was inspired by a photo the artist saw online, of a limbless Jewish woman seated outdoors in the Polish city of Lódz, awaiting transport to the Nazi death camp at Chelmno; the photo was probably taken in 1940 or 1941. 

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Upper left on the mosaic: The red color, glass Star of David on a small vertical piece of wood was on the porch of the rental house of late Seattle based anti-war, anti-apartheid and anti-genocide artist Selma Waldman. After her passing Segan helped her son and daughter-in-law pack books and other things from her home. They gave the Star to Segan after I asked if I could have it as I thought it would work in one of my mosaic-drawing combo artworks. I don’t know where she got it.

To learn about her art, visit the Selma Waldman Legacy Project Facebook Page.

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The depiction of a large metal chain, lower center area in the mosaic:

This was drawn from a heavy old metal chain given to Segan, late August,  by Scottish jeweler David Milne, in Banchory, Scotland. Segan spent 5 months in Aberdeen, 1987, as Int’l Artist-in-Residence, Aberdeen Art Gallery. Milne had a jewelry repair shop in the same building, down the street from the gallery, where Segan’s live-in art studio was located, at 11 Belmont St.

See this 16 ½ minute video, titled “UK art by A.K. Segan: Old Boid Needed Holiday © ’87 signed by 53 Britons + Doug Ness BBC-2 interview”

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnDRI6ZJxmw

When Segan visited Milne and his wife at their country house in Banchory in late August shortly before Segan returned home to Seattle, Milne handed the heavy metal chain to him. It had been in an old barn near their house. Milne said something like “You probably don’t have anything in your home that’s 250 to 300 years old!” He was right. It’s the oldest thing in my apt and studio.

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Exhibits:

Seattle Central College, 2013

Cascadia College, Bothell, Washington, Group art and photography show on

human rights, 2014

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Videos about the artwork:

A 7 min., 21 sec. video of a Cascadia College freshman student, Maddie, talking about the artwork w/ the artist

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A 1 min., 48 sec. overview of the artwork when it was on exhibit at Cascadia College, Bothell, Wash. , 2015.

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Other videos of this artwork can be seen in Youtube, including when various phases of the work were in progress. Type

Multiple Amputee Segan in the Youtube search box.