The Health Museum’s Acclaimed “77 Minutes” Exhibit

“77 Minutes” is a photographic installation that honors the Robb Elementary School shooting victims and their families. It's on view at The Health Museum daily until Nov. 2025. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Sudhoff)

The Health Museum recently installed “77 Minutes,” a photographic installation that honors the Robb Elementary School shooting victims and their families. The Health Museum is hosting the exhibit through its Healing Arts Program to showcase the impactful intersection of healing through art. The exhibit also touches on the traumatic effects of gun violence, which is the leading cause of death for teens and children.

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, 77 minutes is a reference to the time that children and teachers waited for help, families waited for news of those trapped inside, and as a nation waited for law enforcement, who began entering the building just moments after the shooter, to take action. The exhibition features a clock, in front of a row of classroom desks, which counts up the 77 minutes.

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 exhibit also features the weighted vest hero teacher Eva Mireles wore during her workouts - a fitting symbol of her strength.

The installation photos featured are provided by Sarah Sudhoff, a Cuban-American artist and advocate based in Houston whose work has been exhibited locally and nationally in museums, galleries, and arts centers.

“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,” said Sudhoff.

Sudhoff will join licensed psychologist Dr. Cristy Gamez, in an Artist and Psychologist Talk on May 10, 2025, at The Health Museum from 2-4 p.m. Together, they will explore the profound role of art in processing grief, archiving stories, and creating spaces for reflection and recovery. The cost is $10 for members and $25 for non-members.

Sudhoff will also host a hands-on Creative Studio Workshop on June 8, 2025, from 1-4 p.m. at The Health Museum. Participants will gain insight into Sudhoff’s creative process through photo-transfer techniques centered around the theme of Passion and how it drives both advocacy and storytelling. The cost is $35 for members and $45 for non-members.

As part of the “77 Minutes” exhibition, Healing Soundscapes will play during Free Family Thursdays throughout the summer, beginning at 1:45 p.m. The 77-minute sound experiences blend live traditional folk music by Yijing Tang to create a meditative, reflective atmosphere.