Art helps keep Holocaust memories alive

Although the Holocaust officially ended 55 years ago, memories of what took place there continue to inspire artists to create works illustrating the terror associated with the event.

"Witness and Legacy: Contemporary Art about the Holocaust" opened last Thursday at the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave. The work of 22 artists is portrayed throughout the exhibit, seven of which are actual survivors of the Holocaust, said gallery curator Julie Sasse.

"It's very moving," Sasse said. "I just think about the time and people who were desperate to get out."

Sasse explained that the artists in the exhibit fall into three categories -survivors, second generation survivors and empathizers, or those who "either through their religion or, for other reasons, they have decided to create works."