with Connie Wolf
What Makes Art Jewish?
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| John Milton, The Creation of Eve |
In this column, various Bay Area experts will respond to your questions about family life and relationships between people of different faiths, and other Jewish-related subjects. If you have a question for our experts, please email us at bridges@sfjcf.org.
Rather than asking what makes art Jewish, I prefer to think about what is Jewish art. Is it Jewish art because it’s made by someone who’s Jewish, or because the subject matter is Jewish?
Jewish art is designed to celebrate and honor Jewish tradition. It may take the form of ritual objects that we remember and honor in our lives. Whether or not a Jewish artist made it, we love and cherish Judaica because of its beauty and meaning. And sometimes it can engage you in looking at Jewish tradition from a different perspective.
In March 2009, the CJM will launch an invitational exhibition of Seder plates. I’m excited to see how artists, Jewish and not Jewish, will take the themes of Passover and present them as a Seder plate, an object for the table. Participants are intrigued and interested. Art is the perfect vehicle for creating interfaith/intercultural dialogue and it’s a safe place for people to explore history, ritual, tradition and values.
I believe that art is a universal form of communication. It engages people on many different levels. From great monuments to beautiful paintings, we remember it. Really great art inspires dialogue and introspection. I love the idea that Jewish concepts, values and traditions have meaning for everyone and at the CJM we’re introducing them to the broader community and deepening understanding.
Currently we have an exhibition by New York artist Mierle Ukeles. It’s made up of mirrors hanging from black cloth and invites people to write their comments on how they help repair the world, the Jewish concept called tikkun olam. In the first two weeks of the show, more than 1,000 people wrote comments. It’s extraordinary. It’s uniquely Jewish, but common to anybody.
For me, that’s what makes art Jewish. It embodies the Jewish value of being part of the broader community. It holds on to our traditions, but finds relevance in the contemporary world.
Connie Wolf is executive director of the Contemporary Jewish Museum. The new CJM opened in June at 736 Mission St., San Francisco. Visit www.thecjm.org for information.
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