Joseas R. Helmes

Nothing is more innocent than a child. Sure you can make it do evil, but you can´t make it responsible for this.

Nothing is more devious than a child. Everything serves the satisfaction of its needs and for this it would even sacrifice its own parents without hesitation.

Children of the “traitors of people”, 12 Paintings, Oil on Canvas each 70 x 50 cm


These Paintings are based on photos taken out of the KGB archives. During the time of the stalinistic terror the children reported their parents to the authorities. The parents were then incarcerated in the gulags as “traitors of people”. The “traitors children” were sent to special homes where they were raised to take over leadership roles. When does responsibility begin? How old does someone have to be in order to be guilty? What is the meaning of oppression?