Beauty and Terror is the current exhibit in the Center for Performing Arts lobby in Mountain View. Robin L. Bernstein’s beautiful creations using strings pressed into wax reveal, on closer inspection, an ugly truth. 18 artworks telling us about the Holocaust and its many awful atrocities.
Every piece is accompanied by a fact sheet detailing an awful occurrence of genocide during World War II. One features the resistance of the White Rose, another denounces Germany’s handling of its Nazi past.
I think I would title Robin L. Bernstein’s exhibit Strings Attached. Such a fascinating medium- she uses wax and colorful strings for her artwork. Many of the strings are vintage and of European origin.
On her website, she says:
“Dwell on the past, lose an eye.
Forget the past, lose both.”
With Beauty and Terror, she reminds us that we are able to create beautiful things; nevertheless, humans are also capable of killing each other in the most horrendous ways. Being human, we should fight every day to be able to live in peace and not slaughter each other. Learn from our history and never forget.
The beauty of the artworks draws us in to look closer and discover underlying ugly truths. We are capable of both.
This free exhibit runs until January 25, 2026, and is open Wednesdays thru Saturdays from 12 pm to 3 pm. Ask to be let in at the ticket office.
Some of the information might be distressing for people since the descriptions are very graphic, dealing with genocide and horrific acts of violence.