Timeless Voice of Latvia

 A stencil art project, researching & appropriating propaganda posters put up in Latvia by Nazi Germany & the Soviet Union during WWII. I have made a historical recount of the events, images, propaganda & graphic art used in the months prior & during the invasion of Latvia - and all of Eastern Europe - in WWII. My own family (on my mothers side) were long time citizens & artists of Latvia and lost their homes & possessions during a devastating invasion & ruling power of both Germany & The Soviet Union. Like many Eastern European countries their land was locked between German & Soviet territories & suffered a great deal as each side used their land as buffer zone for battle & took turns in gaining control and enforcing a new language, culture & politics upon them. Members of my family fled to Germany around 1942 hoping to seek refuge. However, my great Grandfather was put in a concentration camp and died there while the rest of the family were granted asylum in Australia and arrived by boat to Melbourne in July 1948. No one in the family could speak English upon arrival and had left the remainder of their lives, business & bomb damages homes and possessions back in Latvia. I have carefully reconstructed a selection of propaganda posters made by Germany & the USSR, to give a modern interpretation of what happened to my family, others like them & their country Latvia. I have changed and replaced some imagery in the posters & am re-telling a story not only of war, history and communication but also of my own background & identity.