never forget:

About the Exhibition

Twenty-five people. Twenty-five years. One university.

Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, this exhibition presents twenty-five people drawn from a single university. They are students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the University of Illinois Chicago, who identify as civilians, first responders and service members. Seventeen of the twenty-five are veterans. Some enlisted because of that morning. Many were young when it happened.

The portraits are a photographic series entitled Unforgettable: A Legacy in Photos. Each portrait and every story stands on its own terms.

The 72 minute feature film, Voices of Remembrance (2026), plays throughout the run of the exhibition. The narrative of the people on these walls become the soundtrack of the gallery, and the lasting impact echoing through each telling becomes audible.

The portraits are housed under glass. Those who step close enough to look carefully will find their own reflection among them, and an unfamiliar face will become a story they recognize.

The University of Illinois Chicago designed this project in partnership with the National Veterans Art Museum. This is the first iteration of a traveling exhibition.