The Elie Wiesel Memorial Project

“For the dead and the living, we must bear witness” - Elie Wiesel

Elie Wiesel was a passionate advocate of bearing witness to the Holocaust. He believed
that by sharing his story that he may be able to prevent future generations from making
the same mistake. With there being fewer and fewer survivors to tell their stories, it is
the duty of all of us to keep their stories alive. Wiesel once said that “whoever listens to
a witness, becomes a witness”. Now that you heard his story, it is your job to pass it on.
For your final project, you will design a memorial to Elie Wiesel’s experiences in Night.
You will use your memorial to visually convey Wiesel’s spiritual, physical, and/or
psychological trials. May create a sculpture, diorama, or mural. With your memorial, you
must include an artist statement in which you describe your vision and explain how your
artistic decisions support this vision. Your artistic statement should be no longer than
500 words in length.

Rubric (out of 40 points)

Design (10 points):
Visually and structurally reflects the purpose of the piece. Thoughtful consideration is
given to the tone and feelings produced by the piece. Arranged in a way that makes its
message clear to viewers.

Creativity (10 points):

Visually striking and unique. Great attention to detail. All elements are clear and
relevant to the message.

Relationship to Night (10 points):

Must convey Wiesel’s spiritual, physical, or psychological tribulations in visual form.
Exhibits insight into Wiesel’s Night. Memorializes Wiesel’s story.

Artistic Statement (10 points):

Explains the ideas behind the piece. Explains how these ideas are presented in the
piece. Expresses author’s vision and intended reaction from viewers.