Dresden 1945

This work focuses on the city of Dresden following the devastating bombing in 1945 and depicts the city using a score from Richard Wagner's 'The Ring of the Nibelung'. Dresden is a city with a rich cultural tradition and the burnt music score reflects the destruction of culture. The composer's ambiguous relationship with the city and the contradictory interpretations of the music also reflect the uneasy tension between Dresden as a bombed city of culture but also an integral part of the Nazi regime. Coventry's link to themes of conflict, peace and reconciliation stems from the bombing of the city during the Second World War. This experience led many to seek friendship and reconciliation with former 'enemy' nations, based on the shared experience of war and a desire for peace. A key part of this were the international friendships made with cities such as Dresden. Although explored in the Museum's social history and archive collections these themes are not reflected in their visual arts collection.