Here AOAV reviews a commemorative volume that explores Walter Benjamin’s vision of history as an endless catastrophe, using Paul Klee’s Angelus Novus and Berlin’s wartime ruins to critique the illusion of progress and the enduring legacy of violence.
The angel and the rubble: on violence, memory, and the illusion of progress in ‘Der Engel der Geschichte’
Navigating the storm of news: how the ‘Angel of History’ can help us remember our humanity when faced with global conflict
The article discusses the overwhelming impact of news about global violence and conflicts, emphasizing the importance of empathy and a balanced perspective in the face of tragedies like those in Gaza, Ukraine, and Israel, and drawing inspiration from Paul Klee’s “Angelus Novus” as a metaphor for understanding history and humanity amidst chaos.