Austin Exhibit Showcases Hurricane Harvey Survivors' Stories

AUSTIN, TX — Unsinkable. That's a word that describes the survivors of Hurricane Harvey, and the name given to an upcoming museum exhibition showcasing their personal narratives in weathering the storm.

In conjunction with Texas Monthly, the exhibition Unsinkable: Voices from the Storm will open at the Bullock Texas State History Museum on Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. Based on Texas Monthly's October 2017 cover story, "Voices from the Storm," the exhibition shares the personal, first-hand accounts of 16 individuals who survived, witnessed and assisted others during the five days that Hurricane Harvey battered the Texas coast in August, organizers explained.

"Partnering with the Bullock Museum allows us a unique opportunity to commemorate what happened and how Texans responded," Texas Monthly Editor-in-Chief Tim Taliaferro said. "We want people to remember not just the damage Harvey caused, but also the incredible human spirit that the storm revealed, and that has long been central to the Texas identity."

Through 16 individual story panels, an original audio soundscape, and exclusive photographs taken on the scene, the exhibition will immerse visitors in the experiences captured by more than a dozen staff members at Texas Monthly, organizers wrote. Among the stories is the personal account of Texas Monthly writer R.G. Ratcliffe, who rented a car and headed to the Texas coast as Hurricane Harvey was developing.

"We're so pleased to partner with the team at Texas Monthly to bring Voices from the Storm to our visitors and honor these incredible, poignant stories of hope and caring," Bullock Museum Deputy Director Margaret Koch said. "It showed the world Texan resilience and the humanity that crossed economic, race and cultural boundaries."

The exhibition also includes a traditional Eastern Shawnee dress and shawl gifted to the people of Texas by artist Sherry Hamby as a symbol of hope, comfort and solace. Visitors will also have the opportunity to leave messages to be shared with members of the communities hit hardest by the storm following the exhibition's run.

Unsinkable: Voices from the Storm will be on view on the first floor of the Bullock Museum through Sunday, December 10, 2017. For more information, visit TheStoryofTexas.com or call (512)936-8746.

>>> Image: Texas National Guard Soldiers arrive in Houston to rescue stranded residents in flooded areas from the storms of Hurricane Harvey on Aug. 27, 2017. U.S. Air Force photo by/1st Lt. Zachary West