Some family stories are so dramatic that they overwhelm the next generation, especially when they are oft told. Using family photos as tools to evoke memories can yield new stories about the past and familial relationships. The exhibition “In the Shadow of the Twenty” combines selected photos with reflective narrative, supplemented by artifacts and documents. It examines a family chronology anchored by a tale that weaves migration, war, totalitarian regimes, and the union and ultimate reunion—following two decades apart—of a Polish couple in an arranged marriage.

Produced by their only child and grounded in scholarly research, the exhibit presents images from before, during, and after the period of estrangement referred to as “the twenty.” The interpretations convey their daughter’s perspective and perceptions—a self-understanding that allows her “rewritten” self to emerge—revealing her identity beyond their traumatic story.