“Lest We Forget”: Powerful Art Exhibit Opens at the Minnesota State Capitol

ST. PAUL, Minn. (October 26, 2023) – Through art and text, Lest We Forget shares the story of Fred M.B. Amram, a Jewish young man who lived through the early days of the Holocaust and escaped with his parents as a refugee in the United States. Minnesota artist and Amram’s wife, Sandra Brick, translates Amram’s words into textile art, giving visitors a powerful story told through 3D multimedia works of art with short literary vignettes.

The traveling exhibit opens at the Third Floor Exhibit Gallery at the Minnesota State Capitol on November 1 and runs through February 29, 2024. The gallery is located in rooms 320 and 321 on the third floor of the State Capitol, and is free to the public during regular building hours. 

The husband and wife team collaborated on the project until Amram’s passing in February. Brick says in her artist statement that the couple’s “shared goal is to sharpen the viewer’s awareness of racism, to create a world without genocide.”

There is an opening reception for the exhibit on Thursday, November 16th from 4 pm–7 pm, with remarks at 5:30 pm. The event is free, but registration is encouraged. 

Lest We Forget is part of a public art gallery that exists for Minnesota artists to tell Minnesota stories. Artists are selected by the Capitol Art Exhibit Advisory Committee and approved by the State Capitol Preservation Commission. 

The selection process ensures a range of artists are considered and that, over the course of many exhibits, the art reflects the broad diversity and experiences of Minnesotans. Preference is given to artists currently living in Minnesota or who were living in the state at the time the art was portrayed.

Funding provided by the State of Minnesota's Legacy Amendment, through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.