Les dessins hantés par la Shoah de Chaïm Kaliski se révèlent dans une expo au mahJ
The Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme (mahJ) in Paris is hosting the first monographic exhibition dedicated to Chaïm Kaliski, a Belgian artist who began drawing at the age of 60 to process the trauma of the Holocaust. After his death in 2015, thousands of drawings were discovered in his Brussels apartment, documenting his family's history and the fate of Polish Jews in Belgium. The exhibition features 120 works that blend childlike aesthetics with haunting historical narratives, including poignant depictions of his parents' final moments at Auschwitz.
This exhibition marks a significant moment for the recognition of outsider art and Holocaust testimony, drawing comparisons to the late-career revelation of artist Ceija Stojka. By showcasing Kaliski’s obsessive and prolific output, the museum highlights how art serves as a vital tool for memory and psychological survival. The collaboration between historians, curators, and independent publishers to digitize and archive his 5,500 drawings ensures that this previously hidden body of work is preserved within the canon of contemporary Jewish art and historical record.