Lest We Forget – Exhibition by Luigi Toscano in St. Louis 2026
From 16 April to 3 May 2026, the exhibition ‘Lest We Forget’ by artist Luigi Toscano will be on display in St. Louis. The exhibition features around 80 large-format portraits of Holocaust survivors, accompanied by short biographical texts.
Artist Luigi Toscano in his exhibition (c) Michael Rennertz/Finkelstein Foundation
As a foundation, we are supporting this project, as we did in May 2025 in Leverkusen.
The aim of the project is to make the personal stories of the survivors visible and to send a strong message against anti-Semitism, racism and hatred.
In St. Louis, the exhibition will be on display at THE DISTRICT, a modern public meeting place in the city.
Luigi Toscano has also been showing parts of his exhibition in German schools for several years, to great acclaim from the pupils. Two schools in St. Louis are now presenting around 20 portraits each in their schoolyards for the first time in the United States and are actively incorporating the exhibition into their lessons. Accompanying workshops and discussion groups with Luigi Toscano, experts and, if possible, contemporary witnesses will take place. In addition, educational materials will be provided, including with the support of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM).
Various public events organised by local partners are being prepared to coincide with the exhibition. These include:
- a concert by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as part of the Holocaust Composers Series
- a public discussion forum at the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum
- a film screening followed by a discussion
- events in cooperation with the Missouri History Museum, the Chesterfield Library and other institutions
The project is funded by Bayer USA and the Finkelstein Foundation. There are also numerous sponsors and supporters from the St. Louis area, for example the Staenberg Family Foundation.
