When is it safe to go up?

Stairway of Hope is based on a true story from the Second World War.
A Jewish boy hid in a basement, concealed inside a pram, while German soldiers searched the house above him.

The staircase became the center of his world: the only way upward, and at the same time the greatest threat. Every footstep overhead carried the possibility of danger. Even after the house was searched, he remained hidden for days, unsure whether it was truly safe to emerge.

The work is deliberately placed low, forcing the viewer to bend down. This physical posture heightens the sense of confinement and vulnerability. Sound further amplifies the claustrophobic tension. Here, the ladder and the stairs do not represent escape. They stand for waiting. For uncertainty.

Stairway of Hope shows that hope does not always lie in movement, but sometimes in the ability to remain... until it is safe to go up again.

The original piece is not available for purchase. It remains reserved for exhibition purposes in museums and institutions. For collectors, I’m happy to create a new, tailor-made version. Just send me an email and we can discuss the possibilities. 

Details

• Stairway of Hope (2000)
• Diorama with audio
• 61 x 41 x 51 cm
• Wood, Styrofoam, plaster, cardboard, and tin
• One of a kind