As an institution dedicated to exploring the complexities of the human body and mind, we recognize that health is more than biology—it is deeply connected to the social realities we navigate. Gun violence is one such reality.
77 Minutes is an exhibition featuring still-life photographs and family portraits of those whose lives were devastated by the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. Beginning with the shooter’s entry into the school at 11:33 a.m., 77 minutes is a reference to the time that children and teachers waited for help, families waited for news of those trapped inside, and we as a nation waited for law enforcement, who began entering the building just moments after the shooter, to take action.
“I chose to share space with the Uvalde families, to hold their emotions and my own as I carefully photographed their children’s shoes. These intimate photographs create a permanent record of their loss while honoring the fortitude and resilience found in each individual.”
Sarah Sudhoff, Exhibition Artist
The color photographs framed in floating pine boxes feature the shoes that the children were wearing at the time of their deaths, a simple yet profound testament to the violence that occurred that day. They are paired with intimate, black and white portraits of the families holding their children’s shoes. Printed on sheer fabric, the photographs reveal the families’ vulnerability, resiliency, anger, grief, and hope for the future.
The ripple effects of this event extend beyond the 21 lives lost. Through long-term community engagement with the survivors and the victims’ families, Sudhoff bears witness to this tragedy to understand the full impact of the massacre, to honor victims of gun violence, and to explore the role of art in helping communities process grief, establish connections, and enact change.
Resources & Workshop
To complement the exhibition, please check out a list of helpful resources on stress prevention, creating supportive environments, and having conversations with loved ones.
The exhibition artist, Sarah Sudhoff, will conduct a Creative Studio Workshop – Topic: Passion, on Sunday, June 8.
Sarah Sudhoff is a Cuban-American artist born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and based in Houston, Texas. She uses data, performances, photography, prints, sound, and video to unpack the gun violence epidemic’s ongoing sociocultural impacts, the psychological landscapes of caregiving and motherhood, sexuality and gender-based violence, and heritage and transgenerational memory.
Her work has been exhibited at the Blaffer Art Museum in Texas, Donggang Photo Museum in South Korea, Pioneer Works in New York, the Luckman Gallery in California, and the Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans.
1. Firearms were the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1-17 in 2022 in Texas. (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School for Public Health).
2. No single profile can predict who will use a gun in a violent act. Instead, gun violence is associated with a confluence of individual, family, school, peer, community, and sociocultural risk factors, such as inequality, childhood trauma, history of violence, and exposure to violence, that interact over time during childhood and adolescence” (American Psychological Association, 2013).
3. Most of those who carried out a mass shooting in a Pre-K–12 school exhibited behaviors of concern in advance, and 75 percent of the time, at least one person, often a peer, was aware of the plan (National Threat Assessment Center, 2019)
4. 76% of school shooters under the age of 18 got the gun from their home or the home of a close relative. (National Threat Assessment Center)
5. 4.6 million children in the United States live in homes with at least one gun that is loaded and unlocked. (National Institute of Health, Miller & Azrael)
6. Secure storage interventions play a critical role in overall school safety (National Education Association, Miller & Azrael, 2022).
Starting at 1:45 pm on Thursdays
To create an environment of reflection and emotional support, 77 Minutes will feature curated ambient soundscapes available during Free Family Thursday, starting at 1:45 pm. Designed to provide a meditative and calming atmosphere, these 77-minute soundscapes will incorporate traditional live music into the museum environment. This free offering ensures that all visitors have access to a sensory space that encourages contemplation and emotional grounding while engaging with the exhibit.
About the Soundscapes Musician
Folk Musician & Healing Arts Intern
Yijing Tang is a musician and Healing Arts Intern with expertise in performance, education, and arts programming. She has a background in Arts Leadership from the University of Houston and a degree in music performance from China West Normal University. As a pipa player and former head of a Folk Orchestra, she brings a deep understanding of music’s role in well-being and cultural connection, helping to build a Musician in Residency program that bridges arts, medicine, and community engagement, integrating live music into the 77 Minutes exhibition space.
See the Exhibition
Purchase your admission ticket to reserve your spot. For school groups or organizations, reserve a field trip for an enriching educational experience for your students or group. Become a museum member today and enjoy free museum admission for an entire year plus extra benefits. Membership pays for itself in as little as two visits!