In February 2013, internationally recognized artist Felix de la Concha collaborated with CHGS to include Twin Cities Holocaust survivors in his latest portrait series, 'Portraying Memories.' Nine local survivors were invited to share their testimonies of survival as Felix painted their portrait. These sessions were video recorded and depict the portraits transformation from a blank canvas to the finished piece; this process of portraying provided a powerful and emotionally charged multidimensional representation of his encounter with his sitters.
On such participant, Max Goodman, recounted being forced from his home in Romanian to a "Jewish colony," a combination of a concentration and detention camp. There he, his mother and sister were forced to live with 16 people in a 400 square feet house for two and half years. During this time one-third of the deportees starved, froze to death or died from disease. Max was forced to work in a slaughterhouse and periodically at other labor camps with hardly any food.
To hear more of Max's story and view the development of his portrait, please view the excerpt below.
Excerpts of the video recordings of the series' other Minnesota participants are now available on the Center's youtube channel and can be viewed by clicking here.
To learn more about Felix de la Concha and his artwork visit his page on the CHGS Virtual Museum.
