Holocaust art competition offers artists, viewers chance to reflect

The theme is the historical event of the Holocaust. The charge to participants is to render it in art.

“Our goal is to increase people’s awareness of the Holocaust and of genocide in general,” says Jenny Elyanov, chair of the Holocaust Remembrance Coalition, a committee of Hillel that is organizing the exhibition. “The artworks also represent the students’ feeling and thoughts about the Holocaust, as well as commemorate the victims.”

Elyanov came to Madison from Russia six years ago. Today she is a UW–Madison sophomore who hopes to major in marketing. “Many of my relatives died during the Holocaust. I hope that people who come to the show will remember those whose lives were lost and will be moved to help stop these horrible events. I also hope that students will want to learn more about the Holocaust and about genocides in general,” she says.

“For myself, I hope that more events like this will be organized in the future. I hope that people will remember, even if for a just a short period of time, the victims of genocides.”

The juried show will be on view from Tuesday, April 11-Tuesday, April 25 in the Red Gym’s Class of 1973 Gallery. A reception will open the exhibition at 7 p.m. on April 11 in the gallery. For more information, call 256-8351 or e-mail elyanov@wisc.edu.