Inquiry – Iris Andrashek: “Women are taking back their place”

Noun: The city of Krems has been featuring colorful carpets for months, and it’s part of your “I’m Here” art project. what is he talking about?

Iris Andrashek: For the current exhibition at the Museum Krems titled “Where did you arrive? Die Frauen von Krems” I wanted to do a project in the public space, which shows the Jews of Krems who were expelled and murdered during National Socialism. Wherever it is understood, these colorful carpets are in front of the former women’s homes.

Some new carpets will be added by November 1st. Why did you choose the carpet in particular?

Andrashik: Yes, it will be 106 in the end. For me, the carpet represents privacy, but it is also a kind of social lexicon with its various symbols. The women, whose basic statements could be read on the carpets, were deported and killed or had to flee. Their apartments were Aryans and their things were stolen, including valuable carpets. This is also part of the picture that shows why there are carpets on the street. These forgotten women temporarily regain their place in the city through the carpet.

A special feature of the carpet is the color in which it is painted on the asphalt and the like.

Andraschek: Yes, the stencils that I cut out by hand are painted with clay paint, which gradually disappears due to the weather. So this demise is part of the project.

Is there a woman’s fate that catches you in particular?

Andrashik: It is the scope of the project, so many carpets and thus fate that shocks. You cannot rule out any of this. Many women naturally left a huge void in Krems and the surrounding area about 80 years ago. This is especially urgent in places where there are many carpets together, since here women of an entire family were affected.

www.irisandraschek.com