I am immensely grateful to have received the Charleston Research Fellowship from the Pearlstine/Lipov Center for Southern Jewish Culture. During my research trip in Charleston, I was so genuinely touched by the encouragement, help, and kindness of Dale Rosengarten, Chad Gibbs, Ashley Walters, and the reference staff of Special Collections at the Addlestone Library. Their meaningful support and this critical fellowship gave me the ability to conduct research on the Holocaust through archival materials and documents in the College of Charleston’s Jewish Heritage Collection. The archival materials and documents included rare papers, manuscripts, letters, and photographs.

Since returning from Charleston, I have been processing the research from my fellowship visit. Upon my completion of processing the exploration, I will be using this study to inform the making of an art piece. More specifically, I will be utilizing this analysis for the artwork’s conception and direction, for the identification of textiles, in particular the choice of fabric and lace, and for the coloring choice of needles. One aspect that has recently emerged on my heart and mind as part of the preliminary stage of my art-making process is the naming of the art piece. The title of the art piece I am creating is called “Holocaust of Our Beloved: More Than a Number.”

The significance of the oppression of the Holocaust in shaping the world’s history of human rights and human equality pleads for our continuous attention and urgent reflection. My tender hope in creating this piece is that through showing that the lives of those who survived the Holocaust and those who lost their lives in the Holocaust must not be forgotten, we may engage in thoughtful dialogue about the Holocaust and genocide with a focus on the vital need for greater global advancement of human rights and advocacy looking forward.

In this part of her art-making process, Farah selected a canvas fabric. Upon cutting it, she applied fray liquid sealant on its edges and wrote the title onto the fabric. After she chooses the fabric for the next phase of her piece, she will be hand-stitching the title textile onto the fabric.