The exhibition showcases 1.5 million buttons and proposals for a permanent memorial at Bristol Community College
March 6 - April 3, 2025
Reception: Thursday, March 6, from 6 - 8 p.m.
Gallery Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Grimshaw-Gudewicz Art Gallery at Bristol Community College is honored to present Bearing Witness: A Sea of Buttons in Memory of the Holocaust’s Youngest Victims, an exhibition that shares the remarkable story of a years-long community initiative to collect 1.5 million buttons - each symbolizing a Jewish child murdered during the Holocaust. This deeply moving installation offers visitors a rare opportunity to witness the full scale of the collection while also engaging with the evolving vision for a permanent public artwork dedicated to remembrance.
The project began in 2017 when Linell Dean, then an administrative assistant at Bristol’s Holocaust and Genocide Center, proposed a button collection campaign inspired by an initiative in Australia. Unlike past Holocaust remembrance projects that had utilized stamps or paper clips, this effort uniquely focused on buttons - a humble yet powerful symbol of individuality and absence.
From local businesses and schools to international contributors, thousands of individuals participated, each donation reflecting a personal commitment to honoring the memory of the Holocaust’s youngest victims. Among the many contributors, 12-year-old Ireland Nordstrom, of Fairhaven, made an extraordinary impact, collecting over 100,000 buttons through her grassroots efforts.
Artistic and Educational Impact
Throughout the campaign, Bristol Community College’s Art Department played an ongoing
role in transforming the collection into a meaningful visual experience. In 2018, under the leadership of Professor Marisa Millard, student volunteers created powerful
button portraits of Anne Frank and Holocaust survivor Stephen Ross, now permanently
displayed in the Jackson Art Center, on the college’s Fall River campus.
As the project grew, dedicated individuals, including Providence College Intern Michael
Santos and Bristol Honors Student Corrine LePage, expanded outreach efforts, helping
the campaign reach its ambitious goal of 1.5 million buttons.
A Monument to Remembrance
With the collection of buttons complete, Bristol Community College has turned its
focus to the future: the creation of a permanent, site-specific memorial. A committee
convened in the summer of 2024 to establish criteria for the installation, ensuring
it embodies the project’s mission of remembrance, education, and community engagement.
An international call for proposals attracted submissions from artists and designers worldwide. The exhibition will feature models of the three finalist’s designs, inviting visitors to explore and reflect on the creative visions for this enduring tribute.
An Invitation to Bear Witness
As Bearing Witness unfolds within the gallery, visitors are invited to contemplate the enormity of loss
represented by the 1.5 million buttons and engage in discussions about history, memory,
and responsibility. The exhibition offers a rare chance to see the entire collection
before it becomes a part of a permanent outdoor memorial.
In honoring the past, this project carries a vital message into the future - ensuring that the stories of Holocaust victims continue to be told, that lessons of history are not forgotten, and that remembrance remains an active and evolving process.
The Grimshaw-Gudewicz Art Gallery at Bristol Community College is dedicated to fostering meaningful conversations through art. As a cultural hub for the region, the gallery provides free access to exhibitions and programs that inspire reflection, dialogue, and engagement with contemporary and historical issues.
For more information, please visit www.bristolcc.edu/gallery or contact Kathleen Hancock at Kathleen.hancock@bristolcc.edu or 774.357.2439.