A new group exhibition explores a traditional Jewish counting ritual through modern visual arts.
Curated by Aimee Rubensteen.
Opening Reception Thursday, April 16 at 8:00pm.
Creative Soul Gallery, 386 Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.
The Creative Soul presents Waiting in Wonder, an intimate group show of 15 artworks. The selected works in the show include photography by Matthew Spiegelman, Yarden Stern and Robert Stolarik; and paintings by Stephanie Cohen, Karina Dach, Meirav Gebler and Anya Rubin.
Waiting in Wonder is inspired by the self-reflective nature of Sefirat Ha Omer or the “Counting of the Omer.” This 49-day period marks the time from the Israelite’s Exodus from slavery in Egypt to the moment when they received the Torah on the holiday of Shavuot- the 50th day. Working with this concept of counting as a ritual, and making it more accessible to the public and the greater Jewish community, the show explores the way Judaism focuses on introspection through mundane actions. Like the meditative nature of a counting ritual, the artistic process can be seen as a visualized reflective process. The painting and photography in the show play with these ideas of counting, reflecting and waiting.
The Omer also marks a semi-mourning time to commemorate the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva (ca. 40–137 CE) that died during a thirty-three day period between Passover and Shavuot. Today, this time is devoted to self-reflection and self-renewal. Through the utilization of the two-dimensional surface, each artist explores transitions in time and identity. In this way, while not all of the art was made specifically to represent this particular Jewish ritual to observe the Omer, each piece engages with the concepts aimed to invite further dialogue in the gallery.
On view till May 17, 2015.
