The Concept of Erasure in Second Generation Holocaust Survivors’ Art and in Psychoanalysis

Is the erasure of memories truly possible? What existed prior to this erasure, and what remains afterward? In this paper, I will explore the concept of erasure within the art of second-generation, Holocaust survivor artists and its implications in psychoanalysis, particularly examining its connection to the phenomenon of dissociation among these individuals. I will distinguish between two types of pathological dissociation through second-generation, Holocaust survivor artists: one in which a link between different states of consciousness is preserved, allowing individuals to experience phantom pain, and another type where symptoms are less accessible for processing and analytical work. In the latter case, these symptoms are primarily sensorial and primal, which calls for a specific set of clinical recommendations. Additionally, the paper will outline strategies for clinical responses to trauma experienced by second-generation Holocaust survivors.