Professor Alan Schechner

A practising artist, in both his art and his teaching, Alan is continually examining the relationship between theory and practice. His work is political in nature, often questioning the status quo. 

Alan's research work has two main strands, one that focuses on new media technologies and a second that addresses issues raised by representations of the Holocaust.

Prior to his digital and gallery based artwork, Alan worked for a number of years as a community artist, culminating with two years working in Israel organizing art projects designed to bring Arab and Jewish children together in non-threatening and educational settings. Much of his artwork has, and continues to address issues of social concern.

Alan Schechner is probably best known for his work dealing with the Holocaust, some of which was exhibited in the now notorious exhibition 'Mirroring Evil: Nazi Imagery/Recent Art' at the Jewish Museum in New York. These works, produced in a range of media, attempt to demythologize discourses around the Holocaust, with the intention of making it a living demon with which to struggle.

Prior to joining Southampton Solent University, Alan worked as an Academic manager and lecturer at Keele University, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Thames Valley University.

Alan Schechner's work can be seen at: www.dottycommies.com|

Conference papers and Artist talks:

10/2010: “Art, Technology and Politics”, Workshop on Arts research, University of the Algarve, Portugal..

08/2010: “Jewish Trauma and the Palestine/Israel conflict”, Al Quds University, Palestine.

05/2010: “Artistic and Aesthetic strategies for representing the Holocaust in Contemporary Society.” Aesthetics, Art and Politics Conference, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Recent exhibitions

8/2010: Praying at the wall, Separation Wall, Israel.

6/2009: Cut to the Chase, Bargate Monument Gallery, Southampton, UK.

5/2009: Bilder Im Kopf - Mental Images: Icons of Contemporary History Foundation Haus der Geschichteder Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany.

2/2009: Friction Research, Nictoglobe.com (web journal)

1/2010: University Research Award for EMDR, Southampton Solent University, England.

10/2009: University Research Award,for Onlooking/On looking Southampton Solent University, England.