Artist Anita Lester has launched a poignant exhibition titled Portraits of Survival at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, featuring 16 portraits of Holocaust survivors. The exhibition opened on January 16, 2024, and highlights the stories of those who endured unimaginable hardships during one of history’s darkest periods.
Lester’s journey into this project began when she submitted a portrait of Holocaust survivor Abe Goldberg for the prestigious Archibald Prize. Although it did not receive a nomination, the piece garnered attention within the survivor community. Following the exhibition’s conception, Lester received numerous requests to paint portraits of other survivors’ parents and grandparents. This demand underscored the importance of sharing these narratives before they fade from memory.
During the opening, Holocaust survivor Ester Braitberg expressed her gratitude for being included in the exhibition. “After what I went through, it’s good to see the painting,” she remarked, emphasizing the unique stories each survivor carries. “Everybody [who survived the camps] has a different story – it’s a shame that it’s only bad, not good.”
Lester devoted significant time to each subject, learning about their survival experiences. Two survivors described how they escaped from trains bound for concentration camps, while another spoke of being pushed off a train by her mother, allowing her to survive alone in the forest at the age of 16. Several individuals recounted their resistance efforts against the Nazi regime, revealing the depths of human resilience.
“The harrowing nature of these stories is beyond comprehension,” Lester reflected. “These survivors feel a responsibility to tell their stories before they leave this earthly plain.” Tragically, Abe Goldberg passed away just weeks before the exhibition, leading Lester to dedicate the display to his memory. During their conversations, she discovered that Goldberg was born just days apart from her late grandfather, and they shared a harrowing connection as fellow inmates in the same concentration camp.
Lester’s connection to the Holocaust has deepened over the years. She acknowledged that she had not fully confronted its impact until recently, stating, “The truth is I hadn’t really looked the Holocaust in the eye until a couple of years ago.” Her exploration began in 2018 with a short animated film about her great aunt, also a survivor, which has since been showcased in various Holocaust museums, including Melbourne’s.
In 2021, Lester faced personal antisemitism for the first time, bringing her identity and the weight of her heritage into sharp focus. “I had an existential crisis around what is my legacy?” she said, describing the sense of responsibility she feels as a third-generation survivor. “Our generation now that the survivors are dying, we have a responsibility to tell their stories.”
She encourages younger Jewish artists to embrace this duty, stating, “We are only 16 million in the world, so someone has to do it.” Lester views her role in this project as an honor, expressing that she feels a profound connection to the survivors. “I felt them all looking at me,” she recalled, her emotions overwhelming her as she stood before the completed portraits.
In addition to her work as a portrait artist, Lester is a courtroom artist, producing sketches for various media outlets. Her recent work during a high-profile trial gained international attention, showcasing her ability to convey deep emotion through her art. “You’re actually trying to just capture a feeling or a gesture that might resonate,” she explained.
As a full-time artist and mother of twin boys aged 14 months, Lester often created her survivor portraits during the early hours of the morning or late at night. The reactions of her elderly subjects have been varied, with many initially commenting on their age in the portraits. “Always, the first reaction is ‘I look so old,’” she noted, adding that they also expressed joy at being part of this significant storytelling effort.
Portraits of Survival will be on display at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum until January 18, 2024. It serves not only as an artistic tribute but also as a vital reminder of the importance of remembering and sharing the stories of those who survived the Holocaust.
