Any Time and Everywhere...Anne Frank's Universality

Arpilleras telling political stories originated in Chile during the Pinochet regime, when women expressed themselves in textiles that were sewn by hand. They processed their daily worries and fears and captured everyday political life. This was the inspiration for my three-dimensional arpillera. The 3-D effect in my work has an ambiguous meaning. Like the Chilean women, I first stitched the story behind the doll onto my background—I told the story of Anne Frank living behind a wooden cupboard under the roof. The second and third parts were designed as a historical and political document. The personal dimension: Anne Frank—her fate as a Jewish girl during the National Socialist era Historical dimension: National Socialism—the past in my country Political dimension: Neo-Nazis in my country today—the German present. It is still important to tell this sad story.