Issue 1 - Volume 3 2022
B’’H
The Jewish Art Magazine Presented by The Jewish Art House
Exercises in Nationalism (Herzl in Poland) By Ali Shrago-Spechler
Note From The Jewish Art House Thank you for picking up the third copy of The Jewish Art Magazine presented by The Jewish Art House ! We were founded in order to create opportunities for Jewish artists and by looking through these pages you are doing just that. To see more art please visit the digital version of the magazine on Issuu.com If you like the work the artists featured in our magazine please follow their Instagram account, visit their website, or contact them about purchasing one of their pieces. If you are an artist who wants to have their work featured in our next issue connect with us @TheJewishArtHouse on Instagram or send us a email at TheJewishArtHouse@gmail.com .
A very special thank you to all the Jewish artists who shared their art with us. We could not have completed this project without you.
Please note all images are owned by the artist and may not be used or copied without the express written consent of the artist.
Name of artist: Frann Addison Location of artist: Acton, Massachusetts Artist website: www.frannaddisonjudaica.com Instagram: @frannaddisonjudaica After graduating from Skidmore College, I went on to pursue a Master of Fine Arts Degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1977. While at Cranbrook I read an inspirational article which became the turning point in my professional career, as it spoke for the need for contemporary Judaica, since very little existed at that time that complemented modern architecture. I enjoy seeing the potential in found objects and antique elements. Combining my metalsmithing skills with my artistic vision, I often transform these components into unique pieces of Jewish ritual objects. My work acknowledges the past, yet offers new and unusual forms which satisfy the demands of religious requirements. Through hand forming, piercing, soldering, and/or riveting, I create my one-of-a-kind and limited edition ceremonial pieces. My Judaica has been featured in 10 books, the NY Times, The Boston Globe, Moment Magazine, Handmade Business Magazine, calendars, and greeting cards. I am a NICHE Award winner for fine craft, and the runner up for Handmade Business Magazine’s “Entrepreneur of the Year Award”. I am honored to have my Judaica in the permanent collections of the American Museum of Jewish History in Philadelphia, the Bernard Museum of Judaica of Temple Emanu-El, New York, the Mizel Museum in Denver, and the Oregon Jewish Museum in Portland.
Name of art piece: Tree of Life Mezuzah Medium: brass & hand embossed pewter Size of art piece: 4 1/2” X 1 1/2” Piece for sale (parchment not included)
Name of art piece: Sunflower Mezuzah: Created in solidarity with Ukraine Medium: brass & pewter Size of art piece: 4 1/2” X 1 1/4” Piece for sale (parchment not included) All profits from the sale of the Sunflower Mezuzah will go to World Central Kitchen to help feed Ukranian refugees as well as those remaining in Ukraine.
Name of art piece: Havdalah Set Medium: pewter, abalone, glass Piece for sale
Colorful iridescent abalone accents the pewter Kiddush Cup, Candleholder, and Spicebox, as well as the tray on which they all sit. The stems of the Kiddush Cup and Candleholder are repurposed miniature salt & pepper shakers. “To separate between the holy and the ordinary” is hand pierced in Hebrew from the tray. One-of-a-kind.
Name of art piece: Shabbat Candlesticks Medium: pewter and china
Vintage blue & white salt & pepper shakers have been repurposed to form the central portions between the high polished pewter. “Shabbat Shalom” is hand pierced from the base of each, and all is supported by a decorative embossed band below. One-of-a-kind
Name of art piece: Cobalt Kiddush Cup Medium: pewter and glass Size of art piece: 7 3/4”H X 3 1/2”W at base Piece for sale
The richly colored cobalt blue glass stem was created by repurposing a vintage salt shaker. A six pointed Star of David is spaced between the stem and the cup, and the blessing for the wine, along with a cluster of grapes, is hand pierced from the base.
Name of art piece: Jade Seder Plate Medium: Jade & high polished pewter Size of art piece: 12” diameter Piece for sale
When I found this donut shaped piece of jade, I immediately thought, “Seder Plate”! The petal shaped dishes that I created in high polished pewter form a flower, reminding us that Passover coincides with the arrival of spring. Each of the symbolic foods is named and hand pierced from the pewter and affixed to the stone.
Name of art piece: Repair the World Tzedakah Box Medium: pewter & painted tin Size of art piece: 5 1/2”H X 4”W X 2 3/4”D Piece for sale
Tikkun Olam (“Repair the World”) is an important part of Judaism ~ to do something with the world that will not only fix any damage, but also improve upon it. Place your spare change into the opening behind the colorful globe, and think of your monies as going directly into helping the Earth and all that live on it. We are all guardians of the Earth. We must do our part to help sustain it. “Tikkun Olam” and “Tzedakah” are hand pierced from the metal.
Name of art piece: Wood Twist Oil Menorah Medium: brass, walnut, buffalo bone, antique lamp parts Size of art piece: 12” length Piece for sale
The oil cups are handmade solid high polished brass and fit into a carved twisted “rope” of walnut that was once part of an antique piece of furniture. Antique lamp parts form the feet, and a carved buffalo bone shamash elevated the ninth light. Fill the cups with any kitchen vegetable oil, light the wicks cut from a ball of cotton twine, and enjoy!
Name of artist: Stephen Abban Junior Location of artist: Ghana Artist website: https://artrepreneur.com/p/stephenabbanjunior Instagram: @stephenabbanjuniorfineart
Stephen Abban Junior (b.1992) is a Ghanaian contemporary artist currently working and living in Sekondi-Takoradi and a native of Mankessim, in the Central Region of Ghana. Abban studied visual arts in high school, and holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) in commercial arts (painting) from the Takoradi Technical University and went on an international exchange program in Hungary Europe to study visual representation (Fine Art) at Eszterhazy Karoly University in Eger- Hungary but is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Technology in painting (studio practice) at his mother institution.
Does the Jewish religion influence the approach you take to your art? If so, how? Yes, Judaism has had influence on my Artistic creation through the exemption of nudity and erotic depiction of the human body. Most human figures in my Artistic compositions are draped with cloths to cover sensitive and sexual part of the body.
Name of art piece: Phillis Wheatly Medium: Mixed-Media; Acrylic, soil and ink on primed burlap fabric Size of art piece: 50” x 50” Piece for sale
The young girl who was to become Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped and taken to Boston on a slave ship in 1761 and purchased by a tailor, John Wheatley, as a personal servant for his wife, Susanna. She was treated kindly in the Wheatley household, almost as a third child. The Wheatley’s soon recognized her talents and gave her privileges unusual for a slave, allowing her to learn to read and write. Phillis Wheatley Peters became one of the best-known poets in pre-19th century America.
Painting detail
Name of artist: Rachel Braun Location of artist: Silver Spring, MD, USA Artist website: https://www.rachelbraun.net Instagram: @rachel.e.braun
Embroidery allows Rachel Braun to enter and interpret Jewish sacred texts. Her ideas always start with words from Torah or liturgy. Next, she designs and stitches Judaic embroidery to elucidate those texts. A math teacher by profession, she is drawn to the technique of counted threadwork on even-weave fabric, especially so-called ‘blackwork’ designs that highlight geometric patterns and abstractions. Her work has shown in group and solo exhibitions, including Jewish Community Centers, universities, synagogues, in an American Mathematical Society juried art exhibit, and in other venues. In 2017, Rachel collected her designs and divrei Torah in a book, Embroidery and Sacred Text. She gives book talks and has presented at The Textile Museum (Washington DC), Jewish Study Center (Washington, DC), Hadassah-Brandeis Institute (Massachusetts), Dominican University (Illinois), and elsewhere. You can see more examples of her work at https://www.rachelbraun.net .
Name of art piece: Give Us Joy Medium: Blackwork embroidery; cotton floss on cotton Aida cloth
For all our days slip away in Your anger. We consume our years like a sigh. Give us joy as the days You afflicted us, the years we saw evil. (Psalm 90: 9, 15; trans. Robert Alter)
The ancient text reverberates today; like the Psalmist, we pray that joy in times ahead will soften the trauma of recent years. When encountering this verse, I think of Tefillat Geshem, the prayer for rain recited on Shemini Atzeret. In that season, we contemplate the bitterness of past harvests and the insecurity of times ahead, while joyously opening our hearts anew to wisdom and learning. Accordingly, in the embroidery, color accents follow the words from right to left, brightening from brown to peach.
Name of art piece: Hamsa (Previous page) Medium: Blackwork embroidery; cotton floss on cotton Aida cloth
“Blessed be you in your comings, and blessed be you in your goings." (Deuteronomy 28:6)
The design features two classic Jewish symbols: the hamsa, signifying God’s blessings and protection, and pomegranates, representing the scope of mitzvot. The included text is from the section of blessing and curses in Deuteronomy 28: "Blessed shall you be in your comings, and blessed shall you be in your goings" (Deuteronomy 28:6). I find this order – comings (bo-ekha) and then goings (tzeitekha) intriguing. Mustn’t one first go out before coming home? Perhaps the order speaks to our occasional lack of awareness of our wanderings. The words assure us that we will have God’s blessings in our ventures and in our transitions, and that fundamentally, even as we wander and explore, we will return to a home that is a place of blessing.
Name of Artist: Mayer Frank Location of Artist: Pompano Beach, Florida Instagram: @HavatonDesign Mayer Frank is a multi-medium artist inspired by his studying and understanding of the Kabbalah. He is very interested in the Kabbalistic metaphor of light representing G-d which is found in much of his work. Mayer is the founder and director of The Jewish Art
Name of art piece: Self Portrait Medium: Watercolor on watercolor paper Size of art piece: 10” x 14”
Name of art piece: Ezekiel’s Vision (previous page) Medium: Watercolor on watercolor board Size of art piece: 18” x 24” Piece for sale
Name of art piece: Jonah meets the Leviathan Medium: Lino print (ink) on paper Size of art piece: 9” x 12” Prints for sale
Name of art piece: Adam+Eve+Snake Man Medium: Lino print (ink) on paper Size of art piece: 9” x 12” Prints for sale
Name of art piece: Lilith the Demon Medium: Lino print (ink) on paper Size of art piece: 8” x 10” Prints for sale
Name of art piece: Mushrooms in a Tree Medium: Photograph Size of art piece: N/A Prints for sale
Name of Artist: Shiran Zaray-Mizrahi Location of Artist: Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel Artist website: www.shiranzaray.com Instagram: @shiran.zaray.art
I was born in Israel and grew up in the suburbs of Johannesburg, South Africa, later moving to New York with my family as a young adult (where I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology for Illustration), before making my way back to Israel on my own. I now live in Ramat Beit Shemesh with my husband and five kids. I have always been an artist but worked through different versions of it including working at an art gallery, graphic design, illustration and crafting. I returned to painting right before Covid-19 hit, which is what I am doing solely these days in tandem with raising my family and trying to be a good citizen. My art these days revolves a lot around the themes of man and the world, spirituality, and family "moments in time" which I create in an impressionist style. My previous work experience in the various arts has helped to enhance and enable what I do.
Does the Jewish religion influence the approach you take to your art? If so, how? As an Orthodox Jewish woman it has definitely played a big role in my art and has helped to shape it over the years. As a confused teenager and searching young adult it manifested itself in expressions of yearning, darkness, and a search for something greater. By the time I attended a religious seminary in Jerusalem it felt like the beginning of something new, and my art veered towards spiritual subjects based on Psalms and other Jewish texts. While my art as a young adult tended towards darkness, the older I get the lighter and brighter my work becomes, which I attribute to feeling connected with the world in the way I should be. I am often inspired to draw or paint based on Jewish text-based concepts I hear or read. As well, I have been interested in semi-abstract art as a way of expressing deep concepts that "have no words" or in this case, are better represented in abstract form. When I am painting I feel that I am connecting to things that are far greater than myself.
Name of art piece: Impression in Time Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 70X100cm
I painted this during one of the earliest lockdowns. I was sorely missing my family in New York and pieced together several photographs from a trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden many summers ago to create this image. I wanted to capture a treasured moment in time with a type of energy to it, a lot of light and colour, as in the style of the Impressionists.
Name of art piece: Against the Tide Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 80X120cm
This painting is of my daughter on a beach in New York while visiting family. I wanted to capture the concept of facing life head on, with its constant oncoming challenges, and with a bit of playfulness. As well the idea of remaining true to oneself despite the enormous pressure to fit in and go with the flow.
Name of art piece: Earth's Embroidery Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 50X50cm Piece for sale
Inspired by a poem I read by Solomon ibn Gabirol who lived in the 11th century: “ With the ink of its showers and rains, with the quill of its lightning, with the hand of its clouds, winter wrote a letter upon the garden, in purple and blue. No artist could ever conceive the like of that. And this is why the earth, grown jealous of the sky, embroidered stars in the folds of the flower-beds.”
Name of art piece: In Nature Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 50X60cm Piece for sale
I like the tension between the great outdoors and our inner world, that feeling of expansion when we are outdoors and seemingly at one with the universe, versus our own personal turmoil. This painting of my husband's two aunts hiking in sunny California has been the first in which I'm trying to convey the wildness of nature via loose brushwork, with figures in there, both significant and small.
Name of art piece: A Quiet Hour Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 60X70cm Piece for sale
Another snippet in time from a cherished moment between cousins. Every mother can identify with that satisfied feeling when children are quietly engaged in creativity. There is more sharpness in the figures whereas the background is somewhat more loose.
Name of art piece: Safeguarding the Light Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 40X50cm (x2) Piece for sale
An exploration of spirit and form and the synthesis between body and soul, where the light must be safeguarded by the body and all its faculties including our minds. Inspired by Klimt's dramatic ladies.
Name of art piece: Hope and Potential Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 60X70cm Piece for sale
Painted while in seminary, on the cusp of the future while ensconced in the present. Again inspired by Klimt's emotional and decorative style.
Name of art piece: The Other Side Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 40X50cm Piece for sale
Name of art piece: A Thin Strip of Hope Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 30X30cm Piece for sale
Name of art piece: Ascent Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 50X60cm Piece for sale
Stylistically these are very different from my other work but they represent my fascination with abstract art, which I hope to incorporate more into my work in future in a blend of figurative and abstract. The concept here is the fine line separating us from who we once were, and who we can be, and of course the ever present sliver of hope present to encourage us to move forward (or up!)
Name of Artist: Leah Schnitzler Location of Artist: Brooklyn, New York Instagram: @mikdashmart Leah has recently revisited the hobby of her youth, which is painting on canvas with acrylics. She is very influenced by her jewish life and education.
Name of art piece: The butterfly leaving cocoon, The bridal Hilltops, The 10 Sefiras Tree Medium: Acyrlic on Canvas Size of art piece: 16” x 20”
Leah designed these three paintings to help count the Sefiras Haomer.
Name of Artist: Caren Garfen Location of Artist: London, UK Artist website: www.carengarfen.com Instagram: @carengarfen
Caren Garfen is an award-winning artist specialising in textiles and painstaking hand stitching creating carefully considered pieces with profound messages. She seeks out commonplace objects which become potent devices when placed side by side with her meticulous craft. Since 2019, Caren has been researching the Holocaust and examining the shattering rise in global antisemitism. As is her approach, she delves into all areas of enquiry, trying to make sense of our complex and problematic world. Caren has established an international reputation for her accessible yet challenging issue-based art. Her work has been exhibited widely in the UK and Europe, as well as in Japan, USA, Canada, and Australia, and can be found in public and private collections.
Name of art piece: Little Rabbit in his Burrow Medium: Vintage wooden building blocks (origin Germany), textile, silk threads Process: Hand stitch, digital fabric printing Size of art piece: 33cm x 28cm x 26cm
‘Little Rabbit in his Burrow’ commemorates the lives of the innocent Seiderman children, and their family, who were murdered in the Holocaust. The hand stitched plaques tell their stories and their fate at the hands of a brutal regime. The mother was sent to Auschwitz death camp on an earlier date than that of her children who were aged just 12, 11, 5 and 3.
Name of art piece: Else & Edgard Medium: Vintage powder compact with map of Germany, textile, silk threads Process: Hand stitch, digital fabric printing Size of art piece: 10cm x 10cm x 8.5cm
In memory of Else and her husband Edgard who were living in Antwerp, most likely fleeing religious persecution in Germany. As the Nazi occupation became more and more repressive the couple had no choice but to go into hiding. They were caught by the Gestapo in August 1942 and transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau where they were murdered.
Name of art piece: A Taste of Things to Come Medium: Antique porcelain cup & saucer, vintage ashtray, spoon, postcard, fountain pen, coins, (all from Germany), vintage serving tray, textile, silk threads Process: Hand stitch Size of art piece: 51cm x 41cm x 6cm
March 20, 1935: I couldn’t help glancing at the couple. A page boy had just placed a cup of tea with a slip of paper before the young man. The young couple read the slip of paper and blushed. They seemed about to rise from their seats. At our table the first champagne was opened with a loud pop. “May I take the liberty?” I said to them in French, and removed the slip of paper from their table and translated it to my party. “We do not serve Jews,” read the notice. From: Blood and Banquets, A Berlin Social Diary by Bella Fromm, first edition 1942 (non-fiction)
Name of art piece: Star Witness Medium: Textile, silk thread, fabric dye, printing ink Process: Dyeing, hand printing, hand stitch Size of art piece: 4m x 2m (dimensions variable)
‘Star Witness’ has been created to highlight the rise in 21st century global antisemitism. In-depth research has been carried out on the politics of Europe in the 1930s, the rise of Nazism, the Holocaust, and contemporary antisemitism.
Name of art piece: Fragments Medium: Vintage atlas, textile, silk threads, fabric from donated kuppels Process: hand stitch Size of art piece: 56cm x 38cm x 7cm
'Fragments' examines the fashion and textile industry in Berlin in the 1930s, and the impact of Nazi policies of that period on Jewish clothing manufacturers, designers, design houses and fashion stores. By 1938, the thriving and innovative Jewish fashion industry in Germany was eradicated.
Name of art piece: The Weight of the World Medium: Textile, silk thread, gold and silver metallic threads, tzitzit Process: hand stitch Size of art piece: 180cm x 56cm (110cm x 80cm folded)
‘The Weight of the World’ has been created in the form of a tallis, a Jewish prayer shawl. To the artist the tallis represents tradition and security as she recollects her father wearing his in synagogue on High Holy Days. The traditional black stripes which decorate tallises have been replaced with painstakingly hand stitched text. The tallis has now become a vessel for carrying a disturbing record of antisemitic incidents which took place worldwide in 2020 and 2021. This object is repellent and not created to be worn. Jewish people should not have to carry the burden of antisemitism on their shoulders.
Name of art piece: Selection Medium: Textile, silk threads, 108 vintage ophthalmic lenses, 108 miniature picture frames, photographs Process: Hand stitch Size of art piece:126cm x 76cm x 1cm (dimensions variable)
‘Selection’ focuses on innocent people who were murdered during the Holocaust because they were Jewish. The work is an avowal of remembrance, but also a reminder that antisemitism did not cease when World War II ended. Today, antisemitism is proliferating and Jewish people are still being killed because of their religion. On closer examination of ‘Selection’ there are names, histories and photographs of some of those lost in the 20th as well as the 21st century.
Name of art piece: Worst Case Scenario Medium: Medium: Box room, miniature accessories, textiles, silk thread, paper, paint Size of art piece: 54cm x 32cm x 30cm - 1/12th scale
‘Worst Case Scenario’ has been created to illustrate the precarious lives of Jewish families in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. The use of one-twelfth scale draws in the viewer to a miniature world. There are many clues including the packed suitcase, handbag and shoes by the door, and the passports and tickets sitting on the writing bureau.
Name of Artist: Aliza Marton Location of Artist: Los Angeles, California Artist website: www.alizafineart.com Instagram: @AlizaMarton Aliza Marton is a Los Angeles based Artist who specializes in traditional oil on canvas as well as her own novel technique – blending abstract acrylic pours with realism on wood panels. Her art serves as a window into Aliza’s passionate and emotional connection to our Creator. Many of her works incorporate biblical passages into scenes of nature and of everyday life. Aside from teaching art to hundreds of students in the Jewish community, Aliza’s proudest moments are when her clients’ connect deeply with one of her pieces and decide to make it a part of their home. Her artwork can be purchased on line and shipped anywhere in the world at Alizafineart.com
Does the Jewish religion influence the approach you take to your art? If so, how? Yes the Jewish religion and everything it entails has influenced my art tremendously. It is born out of the appreciation and gratitude I have for all of God’s creations. Shabbat, festivals and daily practice and learning have all have had a place in shaping my art.
Name of art piece: Home Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 36” x 48” Prints for sale
For many years my brother’s family lived on this street, Misgav Ladach, in the old city of Jerusalem. His home was through the arch on the left. We would occasionally rent the home on the right of the arch just above the street. Here my boys are shown walking down the stairs to the left to Shonei Halachot St., where my parents lived. The old city of Jerusalem is like no other place on earth. Just breathing you feel it immediately. This is the place where king David bought the land and left it for his son Solomon to build the Temple. The stones in this painting are painted with many colors. The people who come through the old city are so colorful themselves. People come to visit from all over the world. Although I don’t physically live there, a piece of my heart is always there! The biblical verse incorporated into this painting is “המו בוט המ הנה םיענ, ”דחי םג םיחא תבש, “Behold, how good and how pleasant is the dwelling of brothers, especially in unity.” (Psalm 133).
Name of art piece: Days of Creation (7 piece series) Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 18” x 36” (each piece) Prints for sale
Starting with pure potential God creates the world using the Aleph Bais and the Torah as the blueprint. Beginning with light, separation of waters, land formations, trees, seeds, heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars, Flying and creeping creatures, animals and the Garden of Eden. The stage is set…everything leading up to the creation of man to sit and learn and toil in the Garden. All that’s left to complete this world is Shabbos!
Name of art piece: The Wave Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 40” x 30”
The wave is inspired by my love of the ocean. As a child I spent many Sundays at the beach jumping in the waves and digging holes in the sand. Sometimes on the way home from school my family would pull over in the car and say, “Get in, we’re on our way to the beach!” The biblical verse in this painting is: העושיה ׳הל העושיה יניעממ ןוששב םימ םתבאש, הלס ךתכרב ךמע לע “You can draw water with joy, from the springs of salvation. Salvation is HaShem’s (G-d’s), upon your people is your blessing, Selah.” (Isaiah and Psalm 3).
Name of art piece: Hummingbirds Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 24” x 36”
While working on a painting called “Simchas Torah” I realized that an exercise in capturing motion would be worthwhile. I figured that in displaying motion in hummingbirds in flight it might help elucidate the motion of dance. It was indeed illuminating.
Name of art piece: Shteiging Medium: Acrylic on wood panel with resin Size of art piece: 18” x 24”
One day I came into my son’s room collecting laundry. He was so engrossed in his learning he didn’t even notice I was there. He was transfixed into another world. A world he loves so much. Naturally, I had to paint it! The pasuk in this piece is:ונייח םה יכ, הלילו םמוי הגהנ םהבו ונימי ךראו... “For they (the Torah) are our life and the length of our days and about them we will meditate day and night. (This pasuk is from the nightly Maariv prayers.) My son loves it so much, he can’t fathom why everyone wouldn’t spend their time learning the Talmud.
Name of art piece: Man at The Kotel Medium: Acrylic on wood panel with resin Size of art piece: 11” x 14” in a wood panel that is 14” x 18’
Mixing paint with different mediums to create this effect. Depending on how you mix the chemicals you can get a cracked affect. I chose to only make the gold cracked to resemble the cracks in the wall of the kotel itself. After my painting was complete, I wrote prayers as letters to be placed in the cracks of the wall as has been done for generations as part of Jewish tradition.
Name of art piece: Rabbi Elimelech Biderman Medium: Acrylic on wood panel with resin Size of art piece: 18” x 24”
There’s something very special and unique about Rabbi Elimelech Biderman. He has this magnetic energy that pulls you in, waiting to hear every last word of the story, segula, song or dance he is ready to share. Speaking mostly in Yiddish I listen and watch his videos. I don’t speak or understand Yiddish. I read the subtitles in English and his energy and vitality shine through. I tried to capture his energy with the splashes of gold metallic paints coming from him in all directions. I chose the verse from Psalm 100 !הננרב וינפל ואב החמשב ׳ה תא ודבע. “Serve HaShem with gladness. Come before Him with joyous song!” This is exactly what he exudes in all that he does!
Name of art piece: The Seal Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 72” x 60”
Painted early in my career as an artist, this painting represents my love for the ocean. This beautiful vast and deep blue expanse always makes me marvel at G-d's unique creations that populate it. The biblical verse in this painting is “Praise Hashem from the earth, sea giants and all watery depths” (Psalms 148:7) This was the first really large piece I made. I was afraid to buy such a large canvas but didn’t want to paint it unless I could feel like I was looking into the ocean or an aquarium and feel like I was right there with this peaceful harbor seal. Thank you Kyle McBurnie for taking this underwater shot that inspired this painting. I’ve never gone scuba diving before but his photographs make you want to jump right in.
Name of art piece: The Steipler Medium: Oil on Canvas Size of art piece: 40” x 30”
Have you ever been in a tough position but still needed to speak your truth at all costs? This man, Rabbi Yakov kanievsky known as “The Steipler” was this person. This painting displays that moment when he was conscripted into the Russian army against his will. His truth was keeping Shabbat (the sabbath) against all odds. He was beaten severely and even lost his hearing because of this. For him, it was a proud moment. What an amazing display of strength!!! How far would you go to display your inner strength? To show this I painted this scene abstractly in the background if you look to the right. He stands under stormy skies with just a little blue showing. Displaying hope in the future. He went on to marry the Chazon Ish’s sister and his son Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky is most well known as a great leader of the Jewish people in his own right. Many say he is the Gadol Hador (the leader of our generation)
Name of art piece: Dreaming of Jerusalem Medium: Acrylic on wood panel with resin Size of art piece: 20” x 30”
Jerusalem has a special place in my heart. My hero and ancestor King David purchased the land on Shabbos to build the Bais Hamikdash (the Temple) that was destroyed years ago. The pasuk (passage) used here in this painting is from the Mincha Shmonei Esrei on Tisha B’av, where we add a part to the prayer on rebuilding Jerusalem. התצה שאב ׳ה אתא יכ, התונבל דיתע אתא שאבו. “For you, HaShem with fire you consumed her and with fire You will rebuild her.” Over the years returning to Jerusalem we see the return of the Jewish people, communities growing and relationships building. The fire of Torah is stronger and building everyday. May we see Moshiach, the descendant of David, the anointed one, arrive soon!
Name of Artist: Ali Shrago-Spechler Location of Artist: New York City / Miami Artist website: www.ALISPECHLER.com Instagram: @ali.shrago.spechler Ali Shrago-Spechler is an interdisciplinary artist and educator whose work examines the malleability of history and imagined community. Her installations and performances explore the comedy, violence and ubiquity of Jewish histories while creating a familiar and strange space for her audience. Ali is a Fulbright Scholar (Germany 2020-21) and the recipient of the Naomi Anolic Emerging Artist Award. Her work has been reviewed in the NY Times, Time Out NY, VICE, The Forward, New Times Broward, The Miami Herald and ArtNet News. Ali currently lives and works between Germany, Israel and the United States. She has participated in residencies at Mass MoCA, ProjectArt in Crown Heights, Art Kibbutz NY, Vermont Studio Center and Trestle Artist Space. She has exhibited internationally at Young At Art Museum (Ft. Lauderdale, USA), Girls Club (Ft. Lauderdale, USA), Hadas Gallery (Brooklyn, USA), Hollywood Art and Culture Center (Hollywood, USA), The Hole (NYC, USA), Elephant Room (Chicago, USA), BravinLee (NYC, USA), Ethan Cohen Gallery KUBE (Beacon, USA), Syker Vorwerk (Syke, DE) and SPRING/BREAK Art Fair (NYC, USA).
Does the Jewish religion influence the approach you take to your art? If so, how? As a Jew1 , I feel rootless. The ways others view me shifts between spaces. This, in turn, affects my self-perception and identity. I oscillate between an overrepresented minority, eternal victim, privileged minority and oppressor. Diasporic life oscillates between fear and pride. Nationalist and religious thought often utilizes humor, art and seduction to encourage participation and perpetuation. I hope that my performances and installations use these same tools to fill in the gaps and absences left in our critical discussions around nation-building and remembrance. I am also the founder of a situation and site-specific interactive performance series called A Whole New Megillah which annually co-opts the Jewish holiday of Purim.
1. This can be seen in the definition of the word “Jew” (“Juden”) as discriminatory in German Duden Dictionary.
Name of art piece: 5697 Medium: Recycled Cardboard and Papier-mâché Size of art piece: Installation There are many elements of the installation available for sale. Please inquire directly with the artist for more information.
I was invited to participate in a show that “celebrated” 1700 years of Jewish Life in Germany. The museum is in Syke, a town that was home to a few Jewish families before WWII, one of whom was the Löwenstein Family. The Lowensteins were pig farmers and the matriarch was beloved in town because she gave free sausage to the neighborhood children who couldn’t otherwise afford it. I found it interesting that a Jewish family was so integrated into the community that they were dealing in the treyf business of un-kosher pig farming. The title 5697 refers to the Jewish calendar year 1937, the year in which the Löwenstein family had to leave their apartment in Syke. Their assimilation did not save the Löwenstein from persecution. Part of the family was killed in Stutthof Concentration camp in Danzig in 1944 and the others are said to have been killed during mass shootings in Minsk in 1942. Photo by Tobias Hügel
Name of art piece: Die Hochzeit der Familie Löwenstein from 5697 Medium: Recycled Cardboard and Papier-mâché Size of art piece: 15” x 26” Piece for sale
This image is part of an installation entitled „5697“ created for the Syker Vorwerk Center of Contemporary Art. The work imagines the „integrated“ „German“ home of the Löwenstein/Goldstein family in Syke, Germany. The name is taken from the Jewish Calendar Year that the Löwenstein/Goldstein family fled from the small village of Syke. The objects are built from snippets of archived photos and written histories.
Close-up image of the prievious piece- Die Hochzeit der Familie Löwenstein
Name of art piece: Das schöne paar from 5697 Medium: Recycled Cardboard and Papier-mâché Size of art piece: 16” x 16” Piece for sale
Name of art piece: Eine Friedliche Industrie Medium: Recycled Cardboard and Papier-mâché Size of art piece: Installation
Eine Friedliche Industrie- which translates to A Peaceful Industry- is an immersive period room re-creation of a secular Jewish home in Karlsruhe, Germany made entirely of papier-mache and recycled cardboard. The sculptures within the space are built from both myth and archive一 and through the imagined lens of the home’s matriarch and my great-grandmother, Dr. Irene Rosenberg, a feminist, chemist and mother of three. The Period Room is set in Autumn of 1938, just before the family’s deportation. The home the installation is based on does not exist anymore as it was bombed by allies during WII. Cardboard is a vessel for objects and memory but it is a step removed from embodiment. This reflects the distance I feel, grasping at archives and oral histories to recreate physical objects and places that I can never see. Cardboard also encourages child-like exploration and invites the audience to physically engage with the space and history. The ubiquity and monotony of the material allows the audience to project their own personal narratives onto the room.
Name of art piece: Attempts at Atonement at Heiligenberg, Heidelberg Medium: Video still of performance Size of art piece: 8” x 6” Piece for sale
Name of art piece: Exercises in Nationalism (Herzl in Poland) Medium: Video stills of performance Size of art piece: N/A Piece for sale
Name of art piece: Attempts at Atonement (Stedingsehre Freilichtbühne) Medium: Video still of performance Size of art piece: 8” x 6” Piece for sale
Built to hold propagandistic morality plays and rallies for the Third Reich, the Stedingsehre Freilichtbühne is a 25-minute train ride west of Bremen and a short walk from the Bookholzberg train station. The large compound of buildings next to (and built in tandem with) the stage currently houses local sports and cultural clubs. There is no historical signage which contextualizes the space, though it can be inferred that it is named after the Stedinger War. Stone remnants outline the former architecture of the stage. Public access to the amphitheater seating is restricted as it is separated from the stage by a small river. The area is maintained by goats which belong to local farmers. The shofar is an instrument made of a kosher animal’s horn, often a goat or a ram. It has been used in ancient Jewish ritual to announce temple and war times and is still used today most commonly during Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year, lit: Head of the Year) and Yom Kippur (lit: Day of Atonement). Hasidic Judaism likens the sound of the shofar to the cry of a child yearning to be reunited with its creator. Between the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a ritual was once practiced called Kaparah. Two Goats were selected as the Kaparot and the people of Israel‘s sins were transferred upon them. One goat was sacrificed to God while the other was released deep into nature and assumed to fall off of a cliff and die, still bearing the people’s sins. Goats have thus become representative of shame, atonement, sacrifice and the transference of sins within Jewish tradition and myth.
Name of art piece: Exercises in Nationalism (Herzl in Karlsruhe) Medium: Video still of performance Size of art piece: 8” x 6” Piece for sale