Special Holocaust Exhibit Coming To Charlotte
There are some attractions that I believe should be experienced because they are fun. The world is a dark place sometimes and its pressures can be crushing. There’s not enough fun in the world, so when the opportunity arises to have some, take it. That being said, there are also some attractions that should be experienced because they are necessary. There is knowledge to be gleaned or lessons to be learned or both.
For example, to fully appreciate modern United States History, I believe two sites are must-visit. First (and hardest to get to), one of the most emotionally moving experiences of my life was a visit taken to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and the Arizona Memorial. Japan’s attack on December 7, 1941 thrust our country into the World War II conflict-changing lives forever. Another, and I must admit even more gut-wrenching afternoon was the one I spent at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. To be 100% honest, I didn’t make it all the way through, as it proved to be too much. That doesn’t change the fact that I believe it is a place that every American should and want to visit.
Neither of these is a feel-good moment. However, they and the lessons they teach are priceless. Along these same lines, there is a unique Holocaust exhibit coming to Charlotte that I will make time to spend time viewing. “Seeing Auschwitz” is coming to The Visual Arts and Performance Center on February 9.
“Seeing Auschwitz” is made up of 100 photos, sketches, and accounts painting a picture of the lives of both the more than 1 million Holocaust victims and the Nazis of Germany that were the cause of their demise. And it’s presented in a unique way. Judy La Pietra is the associate director of The Stan Greenspon Center of Holocaust and Social Justice Education at Queens University. She first saw this exhibit in London and has been passionate about bringing it to Charlotte since. Pietra tells the Charlotte Observer, “They’re not photos in the camps, per se. We’re building a picture of life and what was lost. It’s not a very scholarly approach to Auschwitz, but rather, presented in a way that kind of everyday people without any background knowledge can really understand what took place. And that is the goal, you know, to touch people with this history.”
The saying goes, those that ignore the lessons of history’s mistakes and errors are destined to repeat them. “Seeing Auschwitz” is something that all of us owe to ourselves to see. This stunning Holocaust exhibit will be at The Visual Arts and Performance Center (9189 Studio Gallery at VAPA, 700 N.Tryon Street) February 9-15. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8.50 for children 12 and under.