We are seeking 2 sound, literary, and performing artists to contribute to our upcoming Virtual Jewish Art Salon / Art Kibbutz session, at 10:30 EDT Sunday, May 3 (5:30 pm Israel, 7:30 am PDT). We will consider additional visual artists, however the priority is on other forms.
Sound, literary, and performing artistsPotential contributors should write to us directly. See Description below. If you have a suggestion, please do the out-reach, and ask them contact us. Deadline for expression of interest with a links to on-line material is:12 noon EDT, 7 pm Israeli time, etc. Monday, April 27
Contact: Cynthia Beth Rubin <cbr@cbrubin.net> and Chana Elias <chanaelias@gmail.com>
A Tradition of Embellishment: Exploring the Aesthetics of Jewish Arts
Description: Presentations by visual/sound/literary artists in discussion of how culturally identifiable Jewish motifs reverberate, both intentionally and sometimes without intention, in the work of many Jewish artists
Is there an identifiable Jewish sensibility or aesthetic, a Jewish way of thinking, that finds its genesis in a theological tradition of embellishing texts, ritual objects, religious music, and poetry as prayer? When we look at traditional Jewish texts, we see layers of meaning, layers of commentary and embellishments both visual and textual. In the Marseilles Bible, for example, the Biblical text is interspersed with carpet pages, which in turn are pages of decorative motifs derived from local Spanish architecture surrounded by micrography, little writing that winds around with comments and references. As creative thinkers, our cultural distinction may not always be content driven, but is often reflected in the structuring of our creative output. We come from a tradition of ever evolving interpretations, of finding layers of meaning and of approaching a place from a multitude of viewpoints all at once, in even the seemingly most simple text. This is a forum to begin a discussion of how cultural motifs and layered thinking come together in the work of many Jewish artists, focusing on ideas and conceptual journeys.
Structure of Session: 60 min of presentation, 30 min of open discussion
Facilitators Chana Wiesenthal Elias and Cynthia Beth Rubin
