amnesty international candle

Intro

In 1963, Peter Benenson, founder of Amnesty International, wrote to a local member and artist to say that her design, a candle in barbed wire, had been chosen for Amnesty’s first ever Christmas card because of “its simplicity and the effectiveness of its symbolism”.

Diana Redhouse

The artist was Diana Redhouse, who had responded to an article by Benenson describing the plight of people imprsoned for the political views, it led to the setting up of local groups known as threes, which wore allocated three prisoners each, one from the East, one from the west and from the developing world.
Redhouse became the secretary of the small group in Hampstead in north London.
Diana was born in London to Jewish parents of Polish/Russian origin. She took a clerical job until World War II, when she was one of the limited number of women conscripted into the army. She had always been artistic and she created touring exhibitions promoting the work of the army, a job she loved.
After the war the army helped her gain a place at St Martin’s School of Art in London. Around this time she became involved with the anti-fascist groups.
Her Jewish background was formative in developing her social conscience. Although she described herself as “not religious at all” she lived in an environment where Zionism and socialism were linked She met her future husband, Alexander and did not continue her career.
In the 1970 she attended jewelery and enameling classes, which led to 20 years of productive work characterized by strong, bold designs. She and Alex died in 2004.
Her involvement with Amnesty reminds people that individual actions can make a difference, and that it is “better to light a candle than to curse the darkness, the Chinese proverb on which the Amnesty symbol is based.

Amnesty International logo design

Today, the Amnesty International candle is said to be one of the most widely recognized, non-comercial symbols in the world. But where does this symbol come from? And what does it mean?

Meaning of the Amnesty Candle

The logo combines two recognisable images to convey complex notions: barbed wire and a burning candle Today, the Amnesty International candle circled in barbed wire has come to be associated with everything uniquely powerful about the work of the movement and its supporters. I wonder how many prisoners in how many prisons also combinet these two symbols barbed wire for repression, and a burning candle for defiance. It inspired one of the quotations  “Those who would give light must endure burning: or the quote from Nietsche: “Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich starker.” What does not kill me makes me stronger.”