Negative Reactions

Critics and viewers reacted in a negative and harsh manner to the exhibition Mirroring Evil, Evil Mirrored. When dealing with the Holocaust in general, the curator already hada wide variety of audiences including those who physically experienced it, those affected by it, and those who hear about it through books, stories, and films. The Holocaust is a sensitive subject since it was a genocide and killed many innocent victims. Reesa Greenberg's article "Mirroring Evil, Evil Mirrored: Timing, Trauma, and Temporary Exhibitions" she describes, "The exhibition was unlike any exhibition in a Jewish Museum... Before, imagery focused on victims of the Holocaust and the overall feeling tone was one of mourning" (104). The exhibition Mirroring Evil, Evil Mirrored displayed artwork that was provacative and sometimes disturbing to the viewer to present the Holocaust as evil.

Mirroring Evil, Evil Mirrored was criticized numerously in a negative aspect. The catalog was actually released a few months prior to the opening of the exhibition. Viewers and critics based their opinions of each artwork individually, rather than reading it as a group in an exhibit. As the audience entered the space, they were warned by a contrasting color of white on black letters stating what they were about to see. The audience also had numerous exits while touring the exhibit. I believe they were given a fair warning of what to expect due to the amount of warnings. Timing was also a main factor in the negative criticism. The exhibit opened a few months after 9/11. Greenberg informs that " The museum was accused of not respecting survivors and their children, of unnecessarily reopening the wounds of trauma, of inflicting pain,... and causing such grief" (108). I agree due to the timing issue, but it also was planned to open a year before 9/11 actually happened. Due to trauma and bad timing, the exhibit Mirroring Evil, Evil Mirrored recieved bad criticizm that could have possibly been avoided if 9/11 had not have happened and the catalog been published when the exhibit opened.

Greenberg, Reesa. Mirroring Evil, Evil Mirrored: Timing, Trauma, and Temporary Exhibitions. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2007. 104 and 108. Print.