‘Artsy’ Auschwitz-Birkenau accessories for sale on Pixels.com
The site itself does not create the art, and doesn’t claim responsibility for the images printed on their clothes and accessories.
By IDAN ZONSHINEThe site of the former Nazi German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz II-Birkenau(photo credit: REUTERS/KACPER PEMPEL)
Pixels.com, a site that sells art, fashion and accessories printed with designs from independent artists, seems to have joined the disturbing trend of selling merchandise branded with images from the Nazi Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.The images themselves are recognized works of art, and are not usually considered offensive or antisemitic in a historical view. However, once taken out of context, the accessories themselves have the potential to take on very different meanings. Buying a piece of artwork that reminds you of the Holocaust is not offensive in and of itself, but buying a shower curtain branded with the image of the gas chambers, or canisters of Zyklon B gas, is another thing entirely.The site itself does not create the art, and doesn’t claim responsibility for the images printed on their clothes and accessories. However, the images themselves are not problematic but rather the casual context in which they are printed.While searching for the tag “Birkenau” on the site, one can find, as of the writing of this article:- 69 shower curtains- 97 phone cases- 80 throw pillows- 139 greeting cards- 41 yoga mats- 62 beach towels- 72 T-shirts (ranging from toddler to most adult sizes)- 78 tote bags- 64 portable battery chargers- 64 mugs- 71 duvet covers- 40 fleece blanketsIn total, there are currently 166 prints featuring images from the death camp. Most problematic are the very awkward combinations such as shower curtains branded with an image of gas chambers, duvet covers branded with cramped wooden bunk beds, and yoga mats branded with the infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” (“Work will set you free”) sign from the entrance to the camp.This is not a new problem for the site. In August, the official Twitter account for the Auschwitz Memorial Museum called out Pixels and its sister site FineArtAmerica for products ranging from poor taste to Nazi propaganda. But it seems those calls have gone unanswered.At issue is what constitutes the line between very poor taste and being hateful. Most disrespectful for many Jews are the exploitation of Holocaust victims’ images for trite commercial products.In recent days, retail giant Amazon has also come under fire for selling Auschwitz-themed Christmas ornaments, an Auschwitz-themed bottle opener and an Auschwitz-themed beach towel.
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