Arthur Gilbert wants to build a museum. A museum dedicated to the graphic arts of the Holocaust no less.

It all started this past summer, when Gilbert, an avid art collector and genocide historian, stumbled upon an etching of Jews being executed at an auction in Cape Cod, Mass. He had never heard of the artist, but the discovery triggered a search for other pieces of Holocaust art and he had soon amassed nearly 25 prints.

Gilbert never displays his artwork, but he believes this collection is different and therefore showcasing it in a week long exhibition at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.

I felt that, in particular, I had a duty to show these images, because people need to know," he said. "It's a memorial. This is my 'I don't have a choice' show; I had to do this."

An advocate for stronger integration between the humanities and international studies, Gilbert says the show is intended for students in his genocide course, and for other idealistic people who prefer to ignore death and destruction.

"You have to look horror in the eye," he said. "Life is not just a musical comedy, but about how you make contact with humanity. Avoidance of evil just encourages evil."

Since the artists themselves never intended to profit from their art, Gilbert has donated the price of each print towards an organization that helps care for elderly Holocaust survivors. The Josef Korbel School professor did not anticipate a charity aspect to his collection on slaughtered innocence, but he continues to be amazed by how many people are now involved in the project- especially as the whole undertaking is deeply personal for him.

"100 million people died from genocide," he said. "I always felt that I could have been one of them. I'm not a Holocaust survivor, but I am linking myself to people who have died. I can never let that go because then I would be superficial. I'm paying my dues for having a good life."

Gilbert hopes to expand his collection to 40 prints, and to have a larger exhibition in the spring. Eventually, he would like to construct a museum to permanently display the pieces so that they are actually on walls and not boarded up in boxes.

"Holocaust Awareness Week doesn't impact anyone; you have to see it," he said. "A picture is worth a thousand words after all."

The Arthur N. Gilbert Collection will be on display through Friday, October 15 in the Cyber Cafe, Ben M. Cherrington Hall from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

-Nirvana Bhatia, MA candidate in International Human Rights
Josef Korbel School of International Studies