Belsen Head

Belsen Head was created in response to images released from the concentration camps at the end of the Second World War. These images compelled many to express their horror, revulsion and fear. The effectiveness of Belsen Head lies in the simplicity and power of the stylisation, with its contrast between the swelling shapes of the throat, mouth and skull and the rectangular, unifying outline of the jaw and brows. The head lying back on a wooden plinth is seemingly screaming in pain or protest. Coventry's role as a city of peace and reconciliation stems from experiences during the Second World War and this work links to the museum's strategy of collecting works around the themes of conflict, peace and reconciliation.