tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40452789672042222152024-02-19T03:29:37.692-08:00Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik: Nice Jewish ArtistAll work copyright by Isaac Brynjegard-BialikUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger408125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-3186286475693340742023-11-11T12:21:00.004-08:002023-11-11T12:21:54.790-08:00"Heroes & Legends" Opens Tuesday, November 14, in San Diego<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHGH04oCfSckeC7zHv77yJWLizV4fmk2CwYLJeuIaLIXvaQGh524ZwPXhvGKaR_OLfDyO1vCkuCOat3kVnk1TJtXssn6L8os_7Ip-cqrpfwEZ6v90vmEosBQuFrG2Be3hhuTPdEbsIZqiarrzNN0yiF3v3cNNNB7QIM8bIhLTsOIewyixw7itX64jbT9_/s1346/Heroes-And-Legends_Guild.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHGH04oCfSckeC7zHv77yJWLizV4fmk2CwYLJeuIaLIXvaQGh524ZwPXhvGKaR_OLfDyO1vCkuCOat3kVnk1TJtXssn6L8os_7Ip-cqrpfwEZ6v90vmEosBQuFrG2Be3hhuTPdEbsIZqiarrzNN0yiF3v3cNNNB7QIM8bIhLTsOIewyixw7itX64jbT9_/s320/Heroes-And-Legends_Guild.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-74485183508932007352022-11-10T11:32:00.007-08:002022-11-10T14:08:03.665-08:00Golems Appearing Around the Country!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg296T6trbYrtsLZQay6YEcxughBGqIC7bhevi1Gk3PzxQaenPR7nP2BdXdZioK6v7Q3LSPqVggxYGfgxgSa43LlrZ6chCQ3-hnAtFZxRCKezqcblOcKBJ5Dl54AY_4Pl4yuKLL44f2mRx4fd6zRwNwB2ZxwZtDuOe1GQCxQpOWWzPkJXITYOq2C4r1GQ/s3024/roots-and-blossoms-promo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="1732" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg296T6trbYrtsLZQay6YEcxughBGqIC7bhevi1Gk3PzxQaenPR7nP2BdXdZioK6v7Q3LSPqVggxYGfgxgSa43LlrZ6chCQ3-hnAtFZxRCKezqcblOcKBJ5Dl54AY_4Pl4yuKLL44f2mRx4fd6zRwNwB2ZxwZtDuOe1GQCxQpOWWzPkJXITYOq2C4r1GQ/s320/roots-and-blossoms-promo.jpg" width="183" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Glad to share the news that my Paper Golems are doing a bit of traveling, after their big reveal in Los Angeles earlier this year. You can now buy <a href="https://isaac-brynjegard-bialik.square.site/" target="_blank">the Paper Golems poster on my shop site</a>, featuring 20 of my favorites – but yes, you can also see them LIVE and in person at two locations, in Michigan and Pennsylvania.<br /></p><p>Michigan friends can see them on exhibition at the <a href="https://www.temple-israel.org/museum" target="_blank">Goodman Museum at Temple Israel</a>, where DOZENS AND DOZENS of golems have taken over the gallery space! About a year ago I participated in their <a href="https://youtu.be/auBWkt7Pvys" target="_blank">"Museum Moments" video series</a>, and now — finally! — we've got an in-person show.<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>The Goodman Family Judaic & Archival Museum
is thrilled to feature comic book, papercut artist Isaac
Brynjegard-Bialik’s latest collection: Paper Golems. Inspired by the uncertainty of the pandemic, Brynjegard-Bialik
connects popular culture with sacred texts and traditions to create
golems that tell stories of power and protection. The golems allow us
the opportunity to consider what is necessary to assume responsibility
for one's protection and the community's protection, using whatever
resources are available- be it mud or paper- and to consider what role
we play in our own salvation or destruction. </i><br /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3c4dC3-ILNsSpkRVgxLw4HDxvlBg9Mwa_xg_ibWU67Vys2oPrGBnxMZAbmiXhuI7ikj5gUa4iWQQOV5u2nJ9w3dfwilorcfOTaaI8nDm4vmbGO8xA4bF6aU44qK3JO7U-rGC3JnGvidkn5AFnkgSWxEJIDsj-oqkAN3V4mp_pJshclzx76yrrXJ-wg/s1024/4551DCDE-0830-45B5-8ABA-2646D63B956E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3c4dC3-ILNsSpkRVgxLw4HDxvlBg9Mwa_xg_ibWU67Vys2oPrGBnxMZAbmiXhuI7ikj5gUa4iWQQOV5u2nJ9w3dfwilorcfOTaaI8nDm4vmbGO8xA4bF6aU44qK3JO7U-rGC3JnGvidkn5AFnkgSWxEJIDsj-oqkAN3V4mp_pJshclzx76yrrXJ-wg/s320/4551DCDE-0830-45B5-8ABA-2646D63B956E.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Pennsylvania folks? You can see some of the series as part of "<a href="https://papercutters.org/event/roots-and-blossoms-eastern-european-papercutting/" target="_blank">Roots & Blossoms: An Exhibit of Eastern European Papercut Art</a>," now showing at the <a href="https://papercutters.org/" target="_blank">Guild of American Papercutters</a> National Museum in Somerset, PA. Open through July 15, 2023; Monday through Thursday from 11 to 6, and Saturday from 10 to 2. Free and open to the public.<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>Come see this special exhibit at the Guild of American Papercutters National Museum featuring artists working in traditional and new Eastern European papercutting traditions of many kinds. Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Russia, and more are represented. This exhibit consists of art that is in the style of or influenced by papercutting traditions from the European countries of Poland and further east. From the colorful, stylized Wycinanki to cuts born from the Jewish Diaspora, Roots and Blossoms displays traditional, modern, and even fusion works of art from members of the Guild of American Papercutters. Come find out about the images and techniques of eastern European paper artists.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-62824367185679752562021-12-31T10:58:00.004-08:002022-01-26T20:07:37.174-08:00Paper Golems Are Coming to Los Angeles in January 2022!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqC5WgiTwk8xiryp1_lgRqmgMsfQ28xqGVuQo5qoqo6gjcG6VOIRewXyfdE_uNw489m-jDNaQgBw0qj_AqdEO7xc4M6IEskB0Bt3UetmF3udClr7TpuExUl8Ed0xh3N4M44Tb42uMFJroDvkFfFGknx3w6737J727ece8Mtu6rJ-vT4I42EVQiTWWSpg=s770" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="770" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqC5WgiTwk8xiryp1_lgRqmgMsfQ28xqGVuQo5qoqo6gjcG6VOIRewXyfdE_uNw489m-jDNaQgBw0qj_AqdEO7xc4M6IEskB0Bt3UetmF3udClr7TpuExUl8Ed0xh3N4M44Tb42uMFJroDvkFfFGknx3w6737J727ece8Mtu6rJ-vT4I42EVQiTWWSpg=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>The golem story is one of power and protection. When the pandemic
began and the world seemed to unravel in so many different ways, I
wanted to regain a sense of control over my life, and so I started
making golems. And now, for the first time ever, you can see all 72 of
my paper golems in a new exhibition at the Dortort Center for Creativity
in the Arts at UCLA Hillel.
</p><p>If you've been keeping up with me through the pandemic, you
know how personal this series is. Every golem is a response to what I
saw happening in the world, day after day and week after week. The
series is, at its heart, a pandemic diary.</p><p>“Paper Golems: A Pandemic Diary” is on display at the <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/574+Hilgard+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90024/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80c2bc7d4a5c5d97:0xf578ff0ea1fab18d?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjXvPHKjY31AhUSDzQIHZW3Dh0Q8gF6BAgLEAE" target="new">Dortort Center for the Arts Gallery at UCLA Hillel</a>
from January 27 through March 11, 2022. The free opening night
reception is Tuesday, March 1, from 7-9 pm — with exclusive posters
for sale, freebies like stickers and buttons, and some big surprises! <br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-17866773941911146532021-09-21T20:37:00.005-07:002021-09-21T20:40:58.862-07:00In Conversation with Art and Scroll Studio<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://bit.ly/IsaacSneakPeak" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgtMteEE9JwmQQ5OoaDSus6xKDLvko-Y61tBLT0XTZIQy6BfT1QE6Z8OiHtW57aY8bfj678AnypRbgGqnIaJZeTody67PcvKEVCr9rgcaG5daOAbE5vQaeIfO0Gmrdxsb418b0Qg4RD-d/w425-h425/Isaac+Instagram+post.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><p></p><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Looking forward to talking with Shelley Werner of Art and Scroll Studio about my work, its origins, my golem series, and the new stuff I have planned for the coming months.<br /></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> <br /></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Register for FREE tickets: <a href="https://bit.ly/IsaacBrynjegard-Bialik" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/IsaacBrynjegard-Bialik</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-79894301352663890002021-06-17T06:00:00.003-07:002021-06-17T06:00:00.195-07:00Paper Golems in Jerusalem<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cnIXWcKGhqOXhCsDE3A4dF0n8xAPn76rxpZnmieKH0gVi56sI99mmdf78xbvEzJBnnrIxoyT2Nq6lgaby29pLekDV1nJ6g-PeeyVloBES-fzM2TZp27MRdpFbzRHmh4CKNzSNUsPW_fG/s2000/PaperGolems-promo-square01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cnIXWcKGhqOXhCsDE3A4dF0n8xAPn76rxpZnmieKH0gVi56sI99mmdf78xbvEzJBnnrIxoyT2Nq6lgaby29pLekDV1nJ6g-PeeyVloBES-fzM2TZp27MRdpFbzRHmh4CKNzSNUsPW_fG/s320/PaperGolems-promo-square01.jpg" /></a></p><p>Join me for a very special exhibition premiering DOZENS of my Paper Golems – THIS MONTH IN JERUSALEM! I’ll be exhibiting prints of some of my favorite golems in the MASSIVE series I have been creating since the pandemic hit in 2020, and talking about WHY GOLEMS and WHY NOW and WHY COMICS.<br /><br />Jewish writers and artists have explored the golem narrative for centuries: using Jewish magic to bring clay figures to life, to do everything from performing household chores to protecting communities from existential danger. When the pandemic hit in 2020, I began to create golems in my home studio: pieced together from cut-up comic books, featuring brilliant colors and surprising juxtapositions. These golems are inspired by personal stories of universal interest, imbued with the attributes of classic super heroes in a decidedly contemporary context.<br /> <br />Exhibit opening and meet-and-greet on Saturday night, June 26, at 9 pm (after Shabbat) at <a href="http://www.kolhaot.com" target="_blank">Kol Haot</a> in Jerusalem: Studio 9 in Hutsot Hayotser Artists’ Colony, across from Jaffa Gate.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU4jDNIFgs4fkH2tcinMWKRvAv9GrfcDS-2_Q_HgcpSQ6-V9l7EseAJCZDaAhhC3YqTv6Evf84mGZFnvQg2x4opwUOgUR5LyW4h3lnny1mWo0FmcrZQF1ry1mIbnE5sErTVCUQD6qtPsP/s2048/PaperGolems-promo-square_ninegolems.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU4jDNIFgs4fkH2tcinMWKRvAv9GrfcDS-2_Q_HgcpSQ6-V9l7EseAJCZDaAhhC3YqTv6Evf84mGZFnvQg2x4opwUOgUR5LyW4h3lnny1mWo0FmcrZQF1ry1mIbnE5sErTVCUQD6qtPsP/s320/PaperGolems-promo-square_ninegolems.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-44358412011131764012021-02-06T17:16:00.002-08:002021-02-06T17:19:08.888-08:00Cutting up in New Jersey<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/cut-ups-with-a-serious-purpose/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1604" data-original-width="1604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6tHs4mc5Mb3uV3GxGD9LHl1J-r0i7LeOKp1o9pUsdFIfnuK6EyjsnBEbWj8KiLbwXpkyEuYIu6dKRXWhwfDPOBexhs14E3l5XA5wZd5WCU3S4AfLlgl7IyKpeuD9pAEQBaAY0yYrRv1j/w400-h400/JewishStandard_insta01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> What a lovely story in <a href="https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/cut-ups-with-a-serious-purpose/" target="_blank">The Jewish Standard</a> about the work that Rabbi Shawna and I are doing as Paper Midrash – and in particular the work we're doing with <a href="https://www.emeth.org/" target="_blank">Temple Emeth</a> in New Jersey.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://online.fliphtml5.com/tglmu/axum/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1604" data-original-width="1604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lVrrVZ_9uUWbbSQUq9POB5XNmuGUSMcupunkbz5NZEE255Gm4GNAkA6PY7DEA1ov8gRrkfy3KNwq_T293Q1cUzhqXKzW64lpd4dOLJErs3IdR0hdDuk06I76DPPV5bdbHqeY01bg8R7F/w400-h400/JewishStandard_insta02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/cut-ups-with-a-serious-purpose/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1604" data-original-width="1604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsAyvBkM_O8TKHKU6Ui6CMsWNNKaSY_g7gViA52vgfrTGznpsVYkGZWbF_2DgBAwADjxWl19H2C-4nV71DV8pVRYVqSoja8Os-wSlJ1pFGkGX2GCUMl5BUEwABWZg3UqqwUzG806rIubo/w400-h400/JewishStandard_insta03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-49256974258777137882021-02-03T08:53:00.001-08:002021-02-03T08:53:11.476-08:00Gotham Golem<p>For some reason, though Batman is one of my favorite comic book characters, he doesn't wind up in many of my papercuts. That changes with this piece from my golem series. With a working title of "Gotham Golem," it measures 24" x 36" and it's made of cut-up Batman comics, focused in particular on Gotham City.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSP0nouRFT1yuieYsKCrk5Ko4egg20TT0wUKru95ngzJO8fpeN27Kcs8Jcl1V3wQLx4y3kJOhvzxbCxkcpwk4OCUx59lwfwNnun3fzrnM57EdPOUjsIccZzEijm8CYai12XLLikjUE7aN/s2000/gothamgolem_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1637" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSP0nouRFT1yuieYsKCrk5Ko4egg20TT0wUKru95ngzJO8fpeN27Kcs8Jcl1V3wQLx4y3kJOhvzxbCxkcpwk4OCUx59lwfwNnun3fzrnM57EdPOUjsIccZzEijm8CYai12XLLikjUE7aN/w328-h400/gothamgolem_blog.jpg" width="328" /></a></div> <p></p><p>For me, the golem story is about protection and power. It's about making your own protector from whatever you have at hand, and hoping it doesn't grow beyond your control.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZprtWqCDUgo6sedw_EJLcH9KCnLsBQm13B4YN8sVgPpI3WZI7ZCZmqeKLVzlCchWKZKOUouT8cr4Yoao_vVbw81pm4anUDjQj-qB6ZnyEbuN7fpLjEFFU9KjHRtWEsaYoabhUPIDQGmQS/s600/gothamgolem_blog_signal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZprtWqCDUgo6sedw_EJLcH9KCnLsBQm13B4YN8sVgPpI3WZI7ZCZmqeKLVzlCchWKZKOUouT8cr4Yoao_vVbw81pm4anUDjQj-qB6ZnyEbuN7fpLjEFFU9KjHRtWEsaYoabhUPIDQGmQS/s320/gothamgolem_blog_signal.jpg" /></a></div> The golem story is tied very closely to a sense of place – it's important where the material from which the golem is made comes from. As Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel took mud from the Vltava River in Prague to make his golem (spoiler alert: not a true story), the comics in my golem come from my childhood collection, and this golem is made of the city it is protecting.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPXq8swerUt_Z593gf-KsDGDH9SMem7nN6MhmODquz0ukvU3_dTHS7fv9Zrpr3xb-QlzvbxVfxZn99RbUuTnNJ4rKc1l_9uH0oRwIpTEZWgv_vxSWa2utHtnVPPt5tXn_lmMASRx3h9LE/s600/gothamgolem_blog_history.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPXq8swerUt_Z593gf-KsDGDH9SMem7nN6MhmODquz0ukvU3_dTHS7fv9Zrpr3xb-QlzvbxVfxZn99RbUuTnNJ4rKc1l_9uH0oRwIpTEZWgv_vxSWa2utHtnVPPt5tXn_lmMASRx3h9LE/s320/gothamgolem_blog_history.jpg" /></a></div> I can't wait to put this – and all of its companions – into an exhibition for you to see in person. <br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-81042771206141955272021-01-31T09:00:00.007-08:002021-01-31T09:00:04.943-08:00With an Outstretched Arm<p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkygNAC-U64wg5LuJZvf-Eli3XiPkiiqviJXbQI_PD0bVyqpOnflli8yskGzObJxEU-ThgS3SDRzh9JwDdpxKOZETGMiHlFVL8x18YMI0iPGL1lXVXKKIAD0bfkhFTr5E7w-Z0njBMFfg/s1024/outstretched-emmett_complete.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="1024" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkygNAC-U64wg5LuJZvf-Eli3XiPkiiqviJXbQI_PD0bVyqpOnflli8yskGzObJxEU-ThgS3SDRzh9JwDdpxKOZETGMiHlFVL8x18YMI0iPGL1lXVXKKIAD0bfkhFTr5E7w-Z0njBMFfg/w400-h189/outstretched-emmett_complete.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>"With An Outstretched Arm" is an original papercut I made for Emmett to mark the occasion of him becoming a bar mitzvah January 2021. This papercut is inspired by him, by his Torah portion Va’era, and by the words he shared with his community as he made the transition to Jewish adulthood.<p></p><p></p><p> The central imagery draws on words from Shemot/Exodus 6:6, in which God tells Moses to tell the Israelites, “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary marvels.” The arm of a pitcher, right to left from wind-up through delivery, delivers a miraculous pitch with an outstretched arm. Within these arms, which are an allusion to Marcel Duchamp’s “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nude_Descending_a_Staircase,_No._2" target="_blank">Nude Descending a Staircase</a>,”are various comic panels which reference Emmett and the responsibility he is taking on at this special moment.</p><p><br />“Today I am a man,” spoken by teen super hero Robin in a Batman comic, represents the day that this thoughtful, mature boy becomes a man in the eyes of his community.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-dvwvh87tKmM9Hj0OOyPDzHPAHGFPt4SsrY7zFqSnwu8ypxpYyEbcZHfuN5PCtMoNBEwBXe24J1MX3DAQtGLnmbPm0bTSXEZS2cazqnVykZbnLO7oJWmfm5bRKZmeSvwwDzBRtcO5L65/s820/outstretched-emmett_details.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="820" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-dvwvh87tKmM9Hj0OOyPDzHPAHGFPt4SsrY7zFqSnwu8ypxpYyEbcZHfuN5PCtMoNBEwBXe24J1MX3DAQtGLnmbPm0bTSXEZS2cazqnVykZbnLO7oJWmfm5bRKZmeSvwwDzBRtcO5L65/w400-h400/outstretched-emmett_details.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The rest of the papercut includes cut-up comics which refer to his dreams (such as sports management), his ideals (including the justice and equality embodied by Jackie Robinson), and the moment when a boy becomes a man — noteworthy in the Captain Marvel comic since that hero is actually young Billy Batson, who says the magic word (Shazam) and becomes a grown man and super hero. At right is a pitcher in the moment of wind-up, standing on a pitcher’s mound which includes the EWSK logo commissioned for Emmett for his bar mitzvah — and behind that silhouette (the outline of Sandy Koufax, in one of the many references to the Dodgers in this papercut, sacred to Emmett and his family) we find references to the marvels and miracles of the Torah portion (“I still can’t believe it!”) and to Emmett’s special day (“All stand up to see what he’s done.”). Throughout the work are additional super heroes, embodying the ideals that Emmett chooses to live up to, as well as references to moments public and private.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7kdBcUNyFz9k9MWLfqK3SH422GnB5UgZb3ta7utOD5B6r5bczKsuD5EG2Se_0vRMSr4hbvNN1ba6b_yUYliI7CL3oK2tPKpSLHIjTj3oPBcPfo2c2PyKSCntPbyuTtBWGml5CWTgpq_j/s449/outstretched-emmett_logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="449" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7kdBcUNyFz9k9MWLfqK3SH422GnB5UgZb3ta7utOD5B6r5bczKsuD5EG2Se_0vRMSr4hbvNN1ba6b_yUYliI7CL3oK2tPKpSLHIjTj3oPBcPfo2c2PyKSCntPbyuTtBWGml5CWTgpq_j/s320/outstretched-emmett_logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Comics in the papercut include:<br /><br />• The All-Star Story of the Dodgers (1979)<br />• American Flagg #6 (March 1984) — Emmett<br />• Batman: The Widening Gyre #1 (October 2019) — “Today I am a man.”<br />• Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier #1 (December 2014)<br />• Bullseye: Perfect Game #2 (February 2011) —”All stand up to see what he’s done.”<br />• Decorum #2 (June 2020)<br />• Justice League Special Featuring Mister Miracle #1 (1989) — #13 and “Miracle”<br />• Los Angeles Dodgers: The Legend of the Blue Knight (April 1997) —”I still can’t believe it!”<br />• Power Pack #13 (August 1985)<br />• Shazam! Power of Hope (November 2000)<br />• Shazam! #2 (April 1973) —”Shazam” and “Marvel”<p></p><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-28593534871534773292021-01-22T09:07:00.005-08:002021-01-22T09:07:51.866-08:00Inauguration Golem<p>Haven't posted as much over the past year — but I sure have been cutting paper here in my studio, and I want to share a new piece with you. It's another in my series of golem that I started in March, 2020, when the pandemic lockdowns began here in the U.S. – and this one is inspired by the events of January 20, 2021: the inauguration of a new American president and vice-president.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYslnscl0v4Td3oBCJACL4dirPNqAM0SFnyPjc5rZNd7TDfChyu0xdq8vOVNpFJmNCHMM3jQBcQCM2t8ux3TW-SpR9Cb9QcshZDmZnJSKHiSuscVhVrqbdkzJdgyDBlah3X8XYmdGSRN93/s1463/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYslnscl0v4Td3oBCJACL4dirPNqAM0SFnyPjc5rZNd7TDfChyu0xdq8vOVNpFJmNCHMM3jQBcQCM2t8ux3TW-SpR9Cb9QcshZDmZnJSKHiSuscVhVrqbdkzJdgyDBlah3X8XYmdGSRN93/w280-h400/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_table.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new inauguration golem, as of yet untitled, in my studio.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>It's a big one, measuring 24" x 36" (as many of my latest golems are) and it's another strong humanoid figure, facing front and ready for action. It's made with cut-up comics featuring super heroes that are women, immigrants, and people of color (all three or some combination of those qualities): Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), Sif, Thunder (Anissa Pierce), Vixen (Mari McCabe), and Supergirl.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcBHFv35UhhcK73wJv2uHPurr5Nz9nKFSSoyxO2Fp6YEoYk6hYtk7aAzq8jLJOOiB_7Yo8oHr3OqiMUsMIoBQ8ppjrhca0ehBLwsicRp9zX7chu-Wjm0G4F1oUNNr0wnnQbNCP5YYbOHba/s1315/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_kamala.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcBHFv35UhhcK73wJv2uHPurr5Nz9nKFSSoyxO2Fp6YEoYk6hYtk7aAzq8jLJOOiB_7Yo8oHr3OqiMUsMIoBQ8ppjrhca0ehBLwsicRp9zX7chu-Wjm0G4F1oUNNr0wnnQbNCP5YYbOHba/s320/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_kamala.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>There's a sense of dispensing with the nonsense of the last administration, and of celebration. There's strength and resolve. And there's power.<br /></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZzUZATR42mr53sTmqgcZCaQUSACqWnaEffH-m4dbkvj7qFkKBPwveAYg4J17OjtaRNN3fXBj6vSEfBiZLKZzqj08IR2lKZDI7Y8Q3Cn8dI7hbor1PnJ-StNFkkEt8CTkswNzrBrIdHZo/s1365/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_thunder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZzUZATR42mr53sTmqgcZCaQUSACqWnaEffH-m4dbkvj7qFkKBPwveAYg4J17OjtaRNN3fXBj6vSEfBiZLKZzqj08IR2lKZDI7Y8Q3Cn8dI7hbor1PnJ-StNFkkEt8CTkswNzrBrIdHZo/s320/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_thunder.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail with comic featuring Thunder (Anissa Pierce – daughter of Black Lightning).<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The colors are drawing from one of my favorite moments of the day: national youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman reading her inspiring words from the steps of the Capitol where only two weeks before there was an armed insurrection and failed coup by white supremacists and their allies against the United States.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXmtaC4iqQR1wjb3Lmf51jjotknVIEEArjzOX0gEVIDRmBbO9Kmjd8d1Gfhpo4VZKAMGBNR0nYpWjxYAJAtl3a-4a7Jekm3zWQNDy05-NBKYuh3fnf54shT6C3s4dKlOgSXKPvBGFVhyphenhyphenA/s1332/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_vixen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXmtaC4iqQR1wjb3Lmf51jjotknVIEEArjzOX0gEVIDRmBbO9Kmjd8d1Gfhpo4VZKAMGBNR0nYpWjxYAJAtl3a-4a7Jekm3zWQNDy05-NBKYuh3fnf54shT6C3s4dKlOgSXKPvBGFVhyphenhyphenA/s320/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_vixen.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail with comics featuring Vixen (Mari McCabe). <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>And at the end of the ceremony, the sense that we were ready to pick ourselves up and strive to be the more perfect union that our founders envisioned, and that our present leaders reflected upon in their words.</p><p></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVajt4VeeLVkxLOS_dVMtRcw-AEWR65gLzFdMeVV0g5mS6pK30ttcWpABCVgTBBERJRaiVw1JQbT8nfV0OUvKJi60JHvZ0U-S_kMmwY8l27uRLpiCsBkMnQAwcDjj-e3p6tYQh9HeulYY/s1210/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_america.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVajt4VeeLVkxLOS_dVMtRcw-AEWR65gLzFdMeVV0g5mS6pK30ttcWpABCVgTBBERJRaiVw1JQbT8nfV0OUvKJi60JHvZ0U-S_kMmwY8l27uRLpiCsBkMnQAwcDjj-e3p6tYQh9HeulYY/s320/isaacB2-inauguration-golem_america.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">America at its best. Courage. Heroism. Everyone pulling together.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>So yeah, feeling a bit hopeful right now.<br /></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-30419526309338768972020-12-03T21:42:00.003-08:002020-12-03T21:42:58.569-08:00"Graphic Jews" and ish Festival<p> Had a great time presenting for the third and final installment of the "Graphic Jews" webinar series from <a href="https://www.ishfestival.org" target="_blank">ish Festival</a>, <a href="https://huc.edu/campus-life/cincinnati/huc-jir-cincinnati" target="_blank">HUC Cincinnati</a>, and the <a href="https://huc.edu/research/museums/skirball-museum-cincinnati" target="_blank">Skirball Museum in Cincinnati</a>. If you missed it and you want to catch it on the replay, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SU52VSRbcllc4tcjvZri8BxtZVa3cZMK/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">click here</a>. Meantime, here are some screencaps; we talked about Jewish art, and golems, and comics – some of my favorite topics!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyaFRHlWo40b1McOk6CZVtG48jJL23swKSHdvm63uCfOICG9n0S-DnSCyHQzlfXLou79oW3S-A7C7M3bxYwpr_5mHZutLLZPOvIz0ji8-J21ymna8kddh4M0866XxnhtYOoRkm14qKQKT/s2048/ishscreencapsquare_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyaFRHlWo40b1McOk6CZVtG48jJL23swKSHdvm63uCfOICG9n0S-DnSCyHQzlfXLou79oW3S-A7C7M3bxYwpr_5mHZutLLZPOvIz0ji8-J21ymna8kddh4M0866XxnhtYOoRkm14qKQKT/w400-h400/ishscreencapsquare_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZrNtcV5Y0GPJ1oODs3j62hBI15UQjlXDpnu_XN_56F94Pl1gosjHI8gMmmrYyfwNUUvffnn-2BXVRQvOiM-DXhxEY3o9A6neLzygriTpHgM8DKDk_E12xL1S6S5AgWyz9l52gJca181l/s1930/ishscreencapsquare_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1930" data-original-width="1930" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZrNtcV5Y0GPJ1oODs3j62hBI15UQjlXDpnu_XN_56F94Pl1gosjHI8gMmmrYyfwNUUvffnn-2BXVRQvOiM-DXhxEY3o9A6neLzygriTpHgM8DKDk_E12xL1S6S5AgWyz9l52gJca181l/w400-h400/ishscreencapsquare_03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing my "Twelve Tribes" series<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNZJpOhfSOok8v4ehou3H76s5FPKdj388U3eKB0e2izGy4OzFdUvPj5Pjf7WBGiUtx5C6u2BlhnPaOeQSZCLNHVJ_ub4sto46s2-672sn0GPv-44iFJhyphenhyphenQsxJACsZveTXOsX3gV5-qKKG/s1930/ishscreencapsquare_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1930" data-original-width="1930" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNZJpOhfSOok8v4ehou3H76s5FPKdj388U3eKB0e2izGy4OzFdUvPj5Pjf7WBGiUtx5C6u2BlhnPaOeQSZCLNHVJ_ub4sto46s2-672sn0GPv-44iFJhyphenhyphenQsxJACsZveTXOsX3gV5-qKKG/w400-h400/ishscreencapsquare_04.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Discussing "Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets"<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfsG29JH3J_-WPh-EThSFJ75zMxzTgkc2N6pfGF2yTQGzafk7FbC-esf3TGFMgMaSQ45tluJWE9Cm4GRGuQTc-d2pNZKWJUQfTYJxlX9JDU4PIOvTBjsTz2RsUngfsRHaOcFYVH0W83kG/s1930/ishscreencapsquare_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1930" data-original-width="1930" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfsG29JH3J_-WPh-EThSFJ75zMxzTgkc2N6pfGF2yTQGzafk7FbC-esf3TGFMgMaSQ45tluJWE9Cm4GRGuQTc-d2pNZKWJUQfTYJxlX9JDU4PIOvTBjsTz2RsUngfsRHaOcFYVH0W83kG/w400-h400/ishscreencapsquare_05.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing some of my lockdown golems<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMG1t7JRjj4Fl72TW6RfEoV8afM1OhAsuYCyprgaNBxhF2LE1cCG8sajuaQW16rXeitpwXD4LoqNIwW7oEkcfIK0JHmOH3psUjKoWAHClQh-W4rAT2ThqpMeTyjDqk3-ZpzSm0dvORkEs/s1930/ishscreencapsquare_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1930" data-original-width="1930" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMG1t7JRjj4Fl72TW6RfEoV8afM1OhAsuYCyprgaNBxhF2LE1cCG8sajuaQW16rXeitpwXD4LoqNIwW7oEkcfIK0JHmOH3psUjKoWAHClQh-W4rAT2ThqpMeTyjDqk3-ZpzSm0dvORkEs/w400-h400/ishscreencapsquare_06.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Emet" (truth) powers the traditional golem<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcHqdBmap5nl-RgeKj7inKzdCzXZ0XSe0qR33Mpjx_7KW3NiznlPHxHYx8P7zIsKvfVhAehoVK1W1BRa3-J0ay9dmU1bNcjRFCAKIb7xXJwMiKe0gvSS3g9d31AZ2kV9hA5Ci23e8Gwpx/s1915/ishscreencapsquare_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1915" data-original-width="1915" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcHqdBmap5nl-RgeKj7inKzdCzXZ0XSe0qR33Mpjx_7KW3NiznlPHxHYx8P7zIsKvfVhAehoVK1W1BRa3-J0ay9dmU1bNcjRFCAKIb7xXJwMiKe0gvSS3g9d31AZ2kV9hA5Ci23e8Gwpx/w400-h400/ishscreencapsquare_07.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first golem is made of comics featuring Jewish super hero The Thing<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8k9jM7yXxfxvMwYTIdkFAspVlLcHzgizYiGPmkuPuLy_2QPSdRYijiDPZt3hNBx2fNRvSjjzRH6Peq9IPZ_01PaFdtN6KHc4e3PPn4A_XwOtu-hESdX5qTyYS2LyQ7hX2-ksp0usJSXfp/s1915/ishscreencapsquare_08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1915" data-original-width="1915" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8k9jM7yXxfxvMwYTIdkFAspVlLcHzgizYiGPmkuPuLy_2QPSdRYijiDPZt3hNBx2fNRvSjjzRH6Peq9IPZ_01PaFdtN6KHc4e3PPn4A_XwOtu-hESdX5qTyYS2LyQ7hX2-ksp0usJSXfp/w400-h400/ishscreencapsquare_08.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did a live demo!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqQ_A6q5SAvwp2stCNVJ_ST1Z-HDGprjflZruH_Z2Xg_pFUxJkBl_UKffMMQ1pyYUMBCYC_1r7RuwZqki49bJ92qSLoAq9Uh2TGs6Iviv4BGPIgyG-5Kxw8rs8jE01S6QNAF-H9BQg_PP/s1915/ishscreencapsquare_09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1915" data-original-width="1915" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqQ_A6q5SAvwp2stCNVJ_ST1Z-HDGprjflZruH_Z2Xg_pFUxJkBl_UKffMMQ1pyYUMBCYC_1r7RuwZqki49bJ92qSLoAq9Uh2TGs6Iviv4BGPIgyG-5Kxw8rs8jE01S6QNAF-H9BQg_PP/w400-h400/ishscreencapsquare_09.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, ish's Marie Krulewitch-Browne (right), and the Skirball's Abby Schwartz (below)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-37642843133124483972020-11-29T15:07:00.001-08:002020-11-29T15:07:17.970-08:00Arella Whirls – Commission at Sinai<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbIzFlhNavSXReijN_YeDtIuVV_oFLpkYRoQebeAVcoE5PUPCl_06pmF0zXgpctiVtCtGCBoTaNALu_LUukw3Cv6fB21TKMlfTTKjiQ5OkE3vcsMTtFLyn7TBpDXt-duyBS9ovAx39HDD/s1363/Arella-Whirls_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbIzFlhNavSXReijN_YeDtIuVV_oFLpkYRoQebeAVcoE5PUPCl_06pmF0zXgpctiVtCtGCBoTaNALu_LUukw3Cv6fB21TKMlfTTKjiQ5OkE3vcsMTtFLyn7TBpDXt-duyBS9ovAx39HDD/w300-h400/Arella-Whirls_blog.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />"Arella Whirls" is a papercut commission made for Stephanie Swedlove to mark her conversion to Judaism, the culmination of a ten-year journey.<br /><br />Torah and Talmud tell us that all Jews were at Sinai at Revelation, to accept the Torah and the covenant with God. All Jewish souls, into the future, today and tomorrow, by birth and by choice, and so on (Talmud Shevuot 39a and Shemot Rabbah 28:6). This papercut is built around Stephanie’s presence at Sinai, even as she now takes the final steps in the conversion process. Judaism also teaches us that all humanity deserves respect and justice, reinforced for us when we were slaves in Egypt, a story which we retell every year at Passover (and continually throughout our lives). This is connected to Stephanie’s drive for justice, trust, and community. This half of her story is represented with our people’s redemption, shown in the parting of the Sea of Reeds, with a path leading to Sinai.<br /><br />The foundation is made of the purple costume worn by super hero Stephanie Brown, known as Spoiler – it’s where the journey starts. Up through the parted waters, which feature Arrowverse heroes (such as Felicity from Arrow, representing Stephanie’s analytic mind). “Tomorrow” references the teaching that all Jewish souls, past and present, are “right here.” Beyond/above the waves are verses from Devarim/Deuteronomy 29: 9-14, in which we read about all the people and future generations standing at Sinai in acceptance of the covenant.<br /><br />In front of Mount Sinai we have the Teen Titans, with the voice of the Divine echoing around them. The lightning of God’s voice (based on a Hebrew pun in Shemot/Exodus 20:15) is made of another hero from the Arrowverse, the Flash, and in the clouds that swirl around the mountain like the smoke from a kiln (Shemot/Exodus 19:18) comic captions read “Arella Whirls” and “Arella Turns,” reflecting the joyous dancing of the Israelites after the crossing of the Sea and in acceptance of the Torah. And of course, Arella is Stephanie’s chosen Hebrew name – reflected as well in the shape of Mt. Sinai, an abstract aleph.<br /><br />Comics in the papercut include:<br /><ul><li>Batgirl Annual #3 (January 2015)</li><li>Batman: Huntress/Spoiler #1 (May 1998)</li><li>Blackest Night: The Flash #1 (February 2010)</li><li>Gotham Underground #2 (January 2008)</li><li>Justice League of America #46 (August 2010)</li><li>Shazam: Power of Hope (November 2000)</li><li>The New Teen Titans #2 (October 1984), #4 (January 1985)</li><li>Teen Titans #6 (May 2017) </li></ul><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-15341215547228655192020-11-02T09:32:00.005-08:002020-11-02T09:47:22.503-08:00Art & Activism: Jewish Visual Artists Showcase & Panel<p><span data-offset-key="8qi3e-0-0"><span data-text="true"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pjff.org/event/art-activism/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5E_jYI8XGzFVAmJxBHOWYdE3E_fTwhHQBWkvdoXXUAhIjp4tQGZRsYzOx0BvFbjLdiHclLgtnEpWDRVRZDJwts8tnoyxlj46DzuXUPbjw22AG0tBK5bA91z6tqgc1LwenuzuRf5esKd1/w400-h266/Art+%2526+Activism+Visual+Artist+Showcase+Digital+Postcard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span data-offset-key="8qi3e-0-0"><span data-text="true">Please join me (and some other INCREDIBLE artists) on November 17 for the </span></span><span class="diy96o5h" data-offset-key="8qi3e-1-0" spellcheck="false" start="67"><span data-offset-key="8qi3e-1-0"><span data-text="true">Gershman Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival</span></span></span><span data-offset-key="8qi3e-2-0"><span data-text="true"> "Art & Activism" Panel. Details here: </span></span><a href="https://pjff.org/event/art-activism/" target="_blank">https://pjff.org/event/art-activism/</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-77588912102772357472020-10-05T17:06:00.002-07:002020-10-05T17:06:35.441-07:00Cleveland "Guests" Portraits for Sukkot 2020<p> Last year at this time Rabbi Shawna and I were in Cleveland with the community of The Temple-Tifereth Israel, praying and studying and creating and celebrating Sukkot (<a href="http://isaacb2.blogspot.com/2020/01/men-of-steel-and-women-of-valor.html" target="_blank">check out what that was like</a>). This year we had the opportunity to be back in Cleveland.... virtually. We joined them today for some visual text study about Sukkot and "the guests you can still have in your sukkah" (ushpizin and ushpizot), and for a sneak peek at what's going on in my studio.</p><p>I also shared with the TTTI community three new portraits I just completed, inspired by the upcoming virtual visit: three guests I'd invite to join me in the sukkah. Last year I added four guests to the traditional seven patriarchs and matriarchs: Cleveland's own Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, creators of Superman; Rabbi Sally Preisand, a Cleveland native who is America's first female rabbi (and visited the gallery to see her portrait!); and Golda Meir, Israel's first female prime minister.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KMgedkzQrxPdC6LVg3Cec9AChQLeat3NTbQc0CARfY8JAoMEI2OyPynojD6i-ydK_MA4Yb_F9UCLGHSTesaQ1_hxX92NurQSvH6SoU8qK4fcipCCxjCtlMkMdRB0OMbQGXj7ahdVD5eV/s1024/isaacb2_siegelandshuster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Siegel and Shuster" border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KMgedkzQrxPdC6LVg3Cec9AChQLeat3NTbQc0CARfY8JAoMEI2OyPynojD6i-ydK_MA4Yb_F9UCLGHSTesaQ1_hxX92NurQSvH6SoU8qK4fcipCCxjCtlMkMdRB0OMbQGXj7ahdVD5eV/w400-h266/isaacb2_siegelandshuster.jpg" title="Siegel and Shuster" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRZRNmsrpGNQNkK6xiPhjw-mzMbyY7DBpFKO3qks615WrbqvfdF_3e_sKpgZy0aj6wJ4mZp_1yHBofn5nc9nIVPZSuXQjc9lEbxRPismsTl8HGF7hBIUvexbbJzjuHjmszImiZE93Fo3V/s1024/isaacb2_meirandpreisand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Meir and Preisand" border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRZRNmsrpGNQNkK6xiPhjw-mzMbyY7DBpFKO3qks615WrbqvfdF_3e_sKpgZy0aj6wJ4mZp_1yHBofn5nc9nIVPZSuXQjc9lEbxRPismsTl8HGF7hBIUvexbbJzjuHjmszImiZE93Fo3V/w400-h266/isaacb2_meirandpreisand.jpg" title="Meir and Preisand" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p>This year's three new guests all have Cleveland connections. The first one is Simson Thorman, the first Jewish permanent resident of Cleveland, an immigrant from Bavaria who was a founder of the city's first Jewish congregation and the first Jew to serve on the Cleveland City Council. His portrait is made with cut-up comics featuring Nightcrawler, another German immigrant.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSQb5o6ce8sP-l51I4AzQWIhxHK2hs3ENsg_UN1-jGdaZL6BBlNDIeHGzO5NmzcWgu6OcyqXgU5HZaDUf8IRCxAWzZUDTqXA5og1EQNDpaTXz7uLHJkPseI4Xevxum74BJabzyAE83jcQ/s1024/isaacb2_thorman_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Simson Thorman" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="784" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSQb5o6ce8sP-l51I4AzQWIhxHK2hs3ENsg_UN1-jGdaZL6BBlNDIeHGzO5NmzcWgu6OcyqXgU5HZaDUf8IRCxAWzZUDTqXA5og1EQNDpaTXz7uLHJkPseI4Xevxum74BJabzyAE83jcQ/w306-h400/isaacb2_thorman_sm.jpg" title="Simson Thorman" width="306" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver is beloved by TTTI because he was their rabbi
for 46 years starting in 1917. He was an early champion of rights for
labor, for
worker's compensation and civil liberties, though his highest priorities
were to advance respect for and support of Zionism. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDUEor_zXA3esr6fIhgUQjP8arz1LhE37Sk-MOksXbmThcBHUeXyrqQd5gN2caV0gvpfp9IF4-6sWjfy3XvnlchC1qgi6yYzSz6C9EIKiDsTOJDBBBnERX8PTKj85oG1eirbK0tECn9I1/s967/isaacb2_silver-process.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Working on my portrait of Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver" border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="967" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDUEor_zXA3esr6fIhgUQjP8arz1LhE37Sk-MOksXbmThcBHUeXyrqQd5gN2caV0gvpfp9IF4-6sWjfy3XvnlchC1qgi6yYzSz6C9EIKiDsTOJDBBBnERX8PTKj85oG1eirbK0tECn9I1/w400-h285/isaacb2_silver-process.jpg" title="Working on my portrait of Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>My portrait of Silver is made of cut-up Superman comics focused on Perry
White and the Daily Planet offices, inspired by his fighting for
workers’ rights, and the renewed understanding 2020 has given us of the
importance of those who work in the press and other fields essential to
our emotional, political, and physical well-being.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZ-uyJjlZxaTiDZEIl3mOOFtjKhWXkMJlRL5xGpsa9n1xKEZwQISv0E-zUcZGfMZmV-mZs_twBmNhqtlGbnu3RJikX5Kn7BTFLIuBSBO8TKRCfDIx7Aj293cifuUtiYsEyfTRt0GpilU3/s1024/isaacb2_silver_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="784" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZ-uyJjlZxaTiDZEIl3mOOFtjKhWXkMJlRL5xGpsa9n1xKEZwQISv0E-zUcZGfMZmV-mZs_twBmNhqtlGbnu3RJikX5Kn7BTFLIuBSBO8TKRCfDIx7Aj293cifuUtiYsEyfTRt0GpilU3/w306-h400/isaacb2_silver_sm.jpg" title="Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver" width="306" /></a></div> <p></p><p>My portrait of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is made of
cut-up She-Hulk comics (she’s a super hero and her alter ego Jennifer
Walters is a lawyer focused on defendants’ rights). </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vNgKutX5s2pfwAzE9guF1UUHpp32bIsWUF-bnvWud3trMGRv31bSQH3SICAs89_oD6VToflkqq8XTNqrJqq7Q6hOL8XtdcGt3Js0qJNgilO21CaOP92sNi-Z-bV6Qv_0Gj8nHvrxxTOl/s1024/isaacb2_RBG-studiotable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="In-process photo of my studio table while building the RBG portrait" border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="1024" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vNgKutX5s2pfwAzE9guF1UUHpp32bIsWUF-bnvWud3trMGRv31bSQH3SICAs89_oD6VToflkqq8XTNqrJqq7Q6hOL8XtdcGt3Js0qJNgilO21CaOP92sNi-Z-bV6Qv_0Gj8nHvrxxTOl/w400-h259/isaacb2_RBG-studiotable.jpg" title="In-process photo of my studio table while building the RBG portrait" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>I wanted to capture the fight that “the notorious RBG” (in her "dissent
collar") and *all* of us are engaged in for justice for all. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwt4ECtJsRERdutyIRDxiB7Oohq-Fg7Xwzg9A3mwY_IzLf9KfUdHvsSKeaemIgEoFSTjIKxqYsw1PhHGVV7ZvZ-QtLawvFrojYnAuEDpZOj4gyDJDQanOQ15FCjM7rFtx45kZpJjsBcD1v/s1024/isaacb2_ginsburg_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="784" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwt4ECtJsRERdutyIRDxiB7Oohq-Fg7Xwzg9A3mwY_IzLf9KfUdHvsSKeaemIgEoFSTjIKxqYsw1PhHGVV7ZvZ-QtLawvFrojYnAuEDpZOj4gyDJDQanOQ15FCjM7rFtx45kZpJjsBcD1v/w306-h400/isaacb2_ginsburg_sm.jpg" title="Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg" width="306" /></a></div><p><br />The portrait includes text from the Book of Judges (on Deborah), the text from Deuteronomy on “Tzedek Tzedek tirdof,” some Justice League comics, and pieces of an RBG comic book biography. <br /></p><p>Can't wait to get back to Cleveland in person.</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-19084024997774762312020-09-17T08:54:00.003-07:002020-09-17T08:54:33.296-07:00Studio Stories – Kol Haot<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://spark.adobe.com/page/ZbEY5VlFRZxAQ/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="1280" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSb9ueIMQPPuxXaJC-ViIQtFZP-BBhYJAO7Hzc5AK08CGOl6cwqy0ukHWA0UM7q6_gqpacgdbiq2wQVlnBEKgMe3rl3uiBvjh2aJVVKBtdPwH_i6VnXYZVNbpDOJjfP8ObsEbDVF0ymE6/w400-h84/studiostories-strip.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">As
the global health pandemic continues to change artists’ lives and
practice, Chicago-based artist Lilach Schrag is sharing stories of how artists have adapted to lockdown and the new reality, in a series called</span></span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “<a href="http://www.kolhaot.com/studio-stories.html" target="_blank">Studio Stories 2020</a>,” hosted by Kol HaOt. This week they profiled my work during lockdown, including my golem series and how Rabbi Shawna and I have been trying to keep <a href="http://www.papermidrash.com" target="_blank">Paper Midrash</a> going. <a href="https://spark.adobe.com/page/ZbEY5VlFRZxAQ/" target="_blank">Check it out!</a><br /></span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-71881844860767825952020-09-16T21:34:00.000-07:002020-09-16T21:34:00.911-07:00Arts, Provocation, and Jewish History<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1663" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfo-vu85SFA2cp-xAmKpbdHlA8ZhuxWfhxHTT4UwaQFLb8fL70buGISMXBzA1gSVYfL-ESfrxtfWPVSscTwOZ1ds-YsGvGvX4H-uTCYl_WxmAdP4l6A-4p3aEBX455P-Vruig1hfk0isL/w400-h211/jewishliveinterview_screencap01.jpg" width="400" /></div><p> <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/jewishLIVE/videos/363742244654192/?q=jewishlive&epa=SEARCH_BOX" target="_blank">Click here to listen as Aaron Henne and I discuss art, justice, comics, representation, and Judaism – and get a look at some new golems in my studio!</a></p><p></p><p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="The Twelve Tribes" border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1663" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy9AzE4axW5tROdWDXCmvfkHEduNI1sHdHfuHCAM7Sm-ErVNpTuuuEoAbjE5hSgCP5eqRmtKRQ7cUH77411uPcTT1EijbFCbZx9wGvTma9dJzYrK5Z5xEPmy4KvG33ynDzEvqrWu0FtKk/w400-h211/jewishliveinterview_screencap03.jpg" title="Talking about my Twelve Tribes series" width="400" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1663" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGrFWf3NFxMry-xGOIHD59__Wu33JbrnIBtHINMi1v1YDb6cCQwzjoQvJfAC7xC0-8wO7vl6BW93R8UEbC7I34pVS55gXCchj6bavZBMIOEdG8K1g7q0JN4YPoj2Oy4y0UdWY-yOyCyto/w400-h211/jewishliveinterview_screencap02.jpg" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Golems" border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1663" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQINsNcdzDvvA8F3WoaCHZAL1szXxthbdDnFy2lCGW__tQT34zU74CN6w1ySZGOyDbiLcTFMFjYOu1r3-oz0BI-qSRIBBsHocLxboTnjqb1C0N90M1kTX5k0BDTUNuFGxFsZp6fjJwD68L/w400-h211/jewishliveinterview_screencap04.jpg" title="Sharing some of my golems" width="400" /></div> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-72968067093572998392020-07-26T16:52:00.002-07:002020-09-15T20:57:27.785-07:00Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMFTtXq0ei6b65oyPUNJZlQqwUYUPhb_Ni8_GzSAKELBoM4YFx6AabruF0-fK4JkpdDXITrJQAVvJDISgSHOEUbShBLYyzEUb5x6lxMgS3aWhS8LSvvwH111QDdQ_YoiNPbB758o_PdBm/s1600/IMG_4355.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMFTtXq0ei6b65oyPUNJZlQqwUYUPhb_Ni8_GzSAKELBoM4YFx6AabruF0-fK4JkpdDXITrJQAVvJDISgSHOEUbShBLYyzEUb5x6lxMgS3aWhS8LSvvwH111QDdQ_YoiNPbB758o_PdBm/s320/IMG_4355.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Inspired by the words of Proverbs (1:20) and the streets of Portland, this is my latest papercut: "Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets."<br />
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It's made with cut-up comics featuring super hero moms, including Jessica Jones, Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman), Greer Nelson (Tigra), Sue Storm (the Invisible Woman), and Jubilation Lee (Jubilee).<br />
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The "wall of moms" we're seen in the news lately – with moms in yellow, linking arms to protest police brutality, federal kidnappings, and to promote the obvious truth that BLACK LIVES MATTER – is a wonderful visual, and made me think of the words we read in the Book of Proverbs, in which Wisdom is personified as a woman crying out in the streets to be heard.<br />
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Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets<br />
24" x 18"<br />
Cut-up comics<br />
2020 <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-52961741245929116052020-06-14T12:10:00.001-07:002020-06-14T12:58:27.936-07:00Yearning to Breathe Free<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqm0aPGT-u9K99fxJ8y614zoAKLSuBlXa7ptzPFLOsGQ-AIaM5lvoA4X6WzaGM36b-zOdPlk37eteOo0Y8B66EvP5mi0GHIYQOS8AoPM95g_-oCbZE760e-yAN23Dm9JXDQnbkpqjrTf0/s1600/yearning-to-breathe-free_600px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqm0aPGT-u9K99fxJ8y614zoAKLSuBlXa7ptzPFLOsGQ-AIaM5lvoA4X6WzaGM36b-zOdPlk37eteOo0Y8B66EvP5mi0GHIYQOS8AoPM95g_-oCbZE760e-yAN23Dm9JXDQnbkpqjrTf0/s320/yearning-to-breathe-free_600px.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Yearning to Breathe Free<br />
9" x 12"<br />
Mixed media<br />
2020<br />
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This past Friday night my wife and I were praying (virtually) with <a href="https://tbifresno.org/" target="_blank">Temple Beth Israel of Fresno</a>, listening to the words of <a href="https://rabrick.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Rabbi Rick Winer</a>, when I had this idea: combining the grief we have at the words "I Can't Breathe" with the hope in these words from Emma Lazarus' poem, "<a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46550/the-new-colossus" target="_blank">The New Colossus</a>" – found in its entirety at the foot of the Statue of Liberty.<br />
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"Yearning to Breathe Free" is made with X-Men comics featuring <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_(comics)" target="_blank">Bishop</a> – a mutant from the future who is the son of Aboriginal refugees who fled to America, where he was sent to a mutant concentration camp and branded with an "M" over his right eye, used to identify mutants in his era. Which is a lot of backstory, I know.<br />
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The words form a tight square on the lower half of a rectangular sheet – I wanted them to feel cramped and in need of release. And the all caps letters in multiple colors? We've seen <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/06/us/black-lives-matter-dc-street-mural-space-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">a lot</a> <a href="https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14984641/2020/06/ABLM-Getty.jpg" target="_blank">of that</a> in the streets of America these days, so it's certainly got protest and pride as inspiration as well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-14611668366140482792020-05-31T10:00:00.000-07:002020-06-12T15:51:19.888-07:00Black Lives Matter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1mKVREThw46oqE1D67U6ADnU5vfBq9Wbjz6SyAO333khGLV1WRMnH6qFH_OQlsrAElAzoMyKRLyBqYynhQxO__U5jqm_WheLvQ5U47MRNCSEYH22yMWiTbYEyA_q1VcGSsNhgH4EjFtM/s1600/IsaacB2_I-Cant-Breathe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1mKVREThw46oqE1D67U6ADnU5vfBq9Wbjz6SyAO333khGLV1WRMnH6qFH_OQlsrAElAzoMyKRLyBqYynhQxO__U5jqm_WheLvQ5U47MRNCSEYH22yMWiTbYEyA_q1VcGSsNhgH4EjFtM/s320/IsaacB2_I-Cant-Breathe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof – Justice, Justice You Shall Pursue!<br />
(Devarim/Deuteronomy 16:18)<br />
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#blacklivesmatter #justiceforgeorgefloyd<br />
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I Can’t Breathe<br />
24" x 18" <br />
Mixed media<br />
2020<br />
<br />
“I Can’t Breathe” is made of cut-up comic books and inspired by the death of George Floyd – and also the Ten Martyrs of the Jewish tradition, and the “Ayleh Ezkerah” poem from our High Holy Day machzor that reminds us to remember those that died in holy causes. I also referenced the Book of Lamentations – particularly thinking about how we represent and respond to tragedy. I’m also a big fan of Ben Shahn (mid-20th century social realist), and his illustrations are definitely an influence on the final form of this piece. Then, once cut, I filled it with cut-up comics books featuring Black super heroes: the wrongly-convicted Luke Cage, the monarch Black Panther, and the youthful Cloak. The color scheme of the figure is actually inspired by Luke Cage’s traditional super hero outfit. The last element in here that might benefit from explanation is the listing of place names in his shirt – taken from an ad for a series of comic book conventions around the country. I saw “Minneapolis” and instantly decided to incorporate it and the other cities, to represent that this is more than one man in one city, but a tragedy we have seen repeated so many times, to so many people, in so many cities.<br />
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<b>UPDATE</b><br />
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Featured in the June 4, 2020, issue of <a href="https://www.laweekly.com/art-helps-us-understand-and-take-better-care-of-each-other/" target="_blank">LA Weekly</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIl2wXyk5IhEHdhDP5TG2qHGApMhyphenhyphentPYbCCMUOnbbD12QoyPj7H-01p3rAGZZUOh-SdgRUhIlxAtEYyO2UqfkGZDDNwc1e8iW_v3M3K92ILX-q1rmuaZuBToQphrToguHmOT64R_tTzOL/s1600/LAWeekly-full-page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIl2wXyk5IhEHdhDP5TG2qHGApMhyphenhyphentPYbCCMUOnbbD12QoyPj7H-01p3rAGZZUOh-SdgRUhIlxAtEYyO2UqfkGZDDNwc1e8iW_v3M3K92ILX-q1rmuaZuBToQphrToguHmOT64R_tTzOL/s320/LAWeekly-full-page.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-72346286165707460622020-05-17T17:46:00.000-07:002020-05-17T17:49:17.077-07:00Hineini: A Papercut Commission<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1ccQjRipILOd5L3qoa0_V9QXxGuNZdVysnTGhnxdI_6lgeYDopGKRqRWvLzwMSKuKZwhh3fHBIf8ePxE6XI8mqEEf1ZFo7C3MtN6jl6YV03z6wNucSPz-4rkaFI2CMB5iEerDEv0yRGG/s1600/bargeron_hineini_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="449" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1ccQjRipILOd5L3qoa0_V9QXxGuNZdVysnTGhnxdI_6lgeYDopGKRqRWvLzwMSKuKZwhh3fHBIf8ePxE6XI8mqEEf1ZFo7C3MtN6jl6YV03z6wNucSPz-4rkaFI2CMB5iEerDEv0yRGG/s320/bargeron_hineini_small.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hineini: The Ordination of Meir Bargeron</td></tr>
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“Hineini” was commissioned for Meir Bargeron by his husband Jon to mark his 2020 rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.<br />
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Designed to complement their <a href="http://isaacb2.blogspot.com/2016/10/you-may-kiss-groom-both-of-you.html" target="_blank">ketubah</a>, the commission has at its top a similar lattice-like design, filled with comic book speech bubbles that tell a “Hineini “narrative, a call-and-response to inspire us to action.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz2Dgaa8V9EGEb9Z16wUcULIaorXKb0uZH6LZPIc38Wo1klJ3HAbCa-QgjaWIZvxwFuXtoDQ_yigvAEra97efPHiT4N0rk5YmpNldFE1oejwG-TcWCE6-7qsoj5ElK-Me2vZnrywgdXrt/s1600/bargeron_hineini_lattice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="1024" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz2Dgaa8V9EGEb9Z16wUcULIaorXKb0uZH6LZPIc38Wo1klJ3HAbCa-QgjaWIZvxwFuXtoDQ_yigvAEra97efPHiT4N0rk5YmpNldFE1oejwG-TcWCE6-7qsoj5ElK-Me2vZnrywgdXrt/s320/bargeron_hineini_lattice.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lattice at the top evokes a roof, and matches the top of Meir and Jon's ketubah.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Exodus 40:38 and Numbers 9:15-16 indicate that the Pillar of Fire and Pillar of Cloud which protected the Israelites on their journey through the wilderness were actually one pillar — during the day the cloud was visible, and at night the fire inside was revealed. With this in mind the lattice sits on this singular Pillar of Cloud and Fire, source of Divine protection and symbol of God’s sheltering presence, styled in similar fashion to the Havdalah candle in Meir and Jon’s ketubah. The fire within is also a reference to Kedushat Levi, Exodus, Mishpatim 11, in which we read that serving God through observing the commandments and studying Torah gives satisfaction to God, and we experience God’s satisfaction as a burning fire of enthusiasm and inspiration in our heart — and that the “consuming fire” mentioned in the biblical account of the Revelation at Mount Sinai is not a description of what was visible on the mountain, but rather a reminder of this fire within us.<br />
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At the center is Meir as Avram (or perhaps the other way around) — a “Hineini” moment in which Meir gets his calling from the Divine. Inspired by the Torah which Meir has taught in sermons and in his thesis, it evokes the experience of ordination which — though it may not be where expected — is nonetheless transformative. Beneath Meir is a foundation of texts from which he has drawn his teachings: stories of Avraham and Sarah, Jacob becoming Israel, Ruth and Naomi, and more; these texts form the Hebrew word “Hineini.”<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRf6gX-TWi1FuoSU_x1AfwZZSl5rpGwRO9G05ua62xbMP-yjX3vnGjHl3lsS-OVzO9Ssv_uhgFUHzmaX6qlcj1fqZ5OmkOADXrQlsn4BYwnx89bYD6NZv98Rjz2jlrGQn1mrJDurgUsvUP/s1600/bargeron_hineini_hineini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="1024" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRf6gX-TWi1FuoSU_x1AfwZZSl5rpGwRO9G05ua62xbMP-yjX3vnGjHl3lsS-OVzO9Ssv_uhgFUHzmaX6qlcj1fqZ5OmkOADXrQlsn4BYwnx89bYD6NZv98Rjz2jlrGQn1mrJDurgUsvUP/s320/bargeron_hineini_hineini.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hebrew word "Hineini" is filled with texts from Rabbi Meir's thesis and sermons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Beneath the texts are tall stands of wheat and barley in the style of
Frank Lloyd Wright stained glass. Wheat and barley are two of the seven
species (connecting back to the grapes and pomegranates in Meir and
Jon’s ketubah); they are a reference to the fields that Ruth and Naomi
gleaned together; and they also allude to the many Jewish texts that use
wheat and barley as metaphors for growth and morality. Within the
stalks can be found maps which point to the past (Minneapolis), the
present (Los Angeles), and the future (Fort Wayne). <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCrb6tdIu13gNUoftDQlxTWlJih8agYl4Uja80UmLoDsgKpzeegXN5Sp91Hbz_Merp_IdUEEZVC9x8Tmbcx0jxIKM1lEREddpsGGUp5Ty7Ne2d5Rsp4OVS95P0c5rgiW1u6VSr4EatC9W/s1600/bargeron_hineini_wheat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="751" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCrb6tdIu13gNUoftDQlxTWlJih8agYl4Uja80UmLoDsgKpzeegXN5Sp91Hbz_Merp_IdUEEZVC9x8Tmbcx0jxIKM1lEREddpsGGUp5Ty7Ne2d5Rsp4OVS95P0c5rgiW1u6VSr4EatC9W/s320/bargeron_hineini_wheat.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheat and barley and traditional Jewish metaphors for growth and morality.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Superman panel in which he proclaims, “It’s me” is from the most recent Superman storyline, in which he reveals his truth to the world: he is both Superman and Clark Kent. In issue 18 he says, “When I show up as Superman, I want to show up representing both parts of me at the same time.” It is a bold story about truth and authenticity. He is declaring his identity and his purpose, and responding to a call for action with his whole self — the perfect story to mark Meir’s rabbinic ordination.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMBXQ0iFgoWbFo9OnwiB_oJzUyKbKx5OpFI6CaRhefxMdXmvXjvrwOcH39FuL7RNDUevkOemFf84rRsfrPFZFwbcV3peUkOEqrFfvuUMfh1OuFzgnnP3tUZ-IxZdZH9KErLvBaP09yt37/s1600/bargeron_hineini_handoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMBXQ0iFgoWbFo9OnwiB_oJzUyKbKx5OpFI6CaRhefxMdXmvXjvrwOcH39FuL7RNDUevkOemFf84rRsfrPFZFwbcV3peUkOEqrFfvuUMfh1OuFzgnnP3tUZ-IxZdZH9KErLvBaP09yt37/s320/bargeron_hineini_handoff.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "social distancing" hand-off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Comics in "Hineni" include:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Action Comics #687 (June 1993) — “Look! Up in the sky!!”<br />Blackest Night: The Flash #1 (February 2010)<br />Bucky Barnes: Winter Soldier #1 (December 2014)<br />Detective Comics #936 (September 2016) — “There’s a call for you.”<br />Etc #1 (1989)<br />Eternals #10 (July 1986) — “I am here.”<br />Fantastic Four #587 (January 2011)<br />Flash #0 (October 1994) — Story called “the beginning of tomorrow”<br />The Flash: Rebirth #1 (June 2009)<br />The Flash #1 (June 2010)<br />JLA Secret Origins (November 2002)<br />Justice League International #35 (February 1990)<br />Kabuki: Reflections #6 (June 2006)<br />Secret Origins #7 (October 1986) — “Oh...My...God...!”<br />Shazam: The Power of Hope (November 2000)<br />Silver Star #1 (February 1983) — Jack Kirby<br />Superman: Peace on Earth (January 1999) — Krypto (for Charlie)<br />Superman #18 (February 2020) —Superman reveals his truth<br />Superman: Heroes #1 (April 2020) — “It’s me.”<br />Ultimate X-Men #63 (November 2005) </blockquote>
Texts include:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Genesis 12:1 — “Lech Lecha”<br />Genesis 17:5 — Avram becomes Avraham<br />Genesis 32:29 — Jacob becomes Israel<br />Exodus 3:4 — “Hineini”<br />Mah Tovu — Jacob’s tents<br />Exodus 18:19 — Yitro and Moses<br />Ruth 1:16 — “Wherever you go, I will go with you” </blockquote>
<br />
And today we had a virtual gathering over Zoom to celebrate Meir's ordination, at which the commission was presented. Mazal tov, Rabbi Meir Bargeron!<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-1089640355490011842020-03-22T13:27:00.001-07:002020-03-22T13:28:30.671-07:00How Can We Serve God with the Works of Our Hands?[This post originally appeared on <a href="https://bit.ly/33D9l7c" target="_blank">ReformJudaism.org</a>]<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhuscyl6RjTC4og03kpMduhk1Q2d7-5-qxO-yy7hyphenhyphenwDWVfN0810Ea76CgRqooR8iZQMhSQfb5hAbZak6T4WVwYgs9YF-cY9yKE9XGlzSbirFQXBU1vTeb4KkA-07o8-18_9hDnQs1Oj60/s1600/RJ-dvar-acher-square-promo-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1389" data-original-width="1389" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhuscyl6RjTC4og03kpMduhk1Q2d7-5-qxO-yy7hyphenhyphenwDWVfN0810Ea76CgRqooR8iZQMhSQfb5hAbZak6T4WVwYgs9YF-cY9yKE9XGlzSbirFQXBU1vTeb4KkA-07o8-18_9hDnQs1Oj60/s200/RJ-dvar-acher-square-promo-image.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
This week, as we begin the Book of Leviticus with <a href="https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study/vayikra" target="_blank"><i>Parashat Vayikra</i></a><i>,</i>
we read about the eternal flame in the Temple in Jerusalem — a symbol
of God’s Presence amidst the Jewish people. The smoke rising from the
altar was a remnant of our communications with God — physical evidence
that we had engaged with the Eternal.
<br />
Cantor David Berger writes that “As moderns we have fully embraced
the transition from Temple service to ‘the service of the heart,’”
citing Babylonian Talmud, <i>Taanit</i> 2a:<br />
<blockquote>
To love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your
heart” (Deut. 11:13). Which is the service of God that is performed in
the heart? You must say that this is referring to prayer.</blockquote>
We could take this to mean that as we no longer make physical
sacrifices, rather than serving God with our hands, we serve with our
hearts and minds. And yes, we have transformed Judaism — the work of our
hands, turning substance into flame and smoke became the work of our
minds, turning words into music and praise. But where does that leave
our hands? I suggest that we still have the power — and the
responsibility — to serve God with our hands.<br />
<br />
The altar smoke — “of pleasing odor to the Eternal” (Lev. 2:9)
— is akin to a finished work of art created by a painter or sculptor.
It is the lingering echo of music after an orchestra plays or the warmth
of a room that has been filled with dancers exercising their bodies. A
painting is the evidence that we have painted — and art about the Jewish
experience is evidence of our efforts to commune with our people across
time, and with the Divine.<br />
<br />
The Jewish-American artist Barbara Kruger said, “Making art is
about objectifying your experience of the world, transforming the flow
of moments into something visual, or textual, or musical, whatever.”
When we use the work of our hands in concert with the work of our minds,
we can transform our personal experience of the world and the Divine
into a shared moment — into a part of the continuing conversation that
has been part and parcel of Judaism since the Divine creation of the
world.<br />
<br />
Our history reveals a continuous connection between art and Jewish
practice — from the carving of the Ten Commandments in the moments
before the first Shabbat at the end of Creation (<i>Pirkei Avot</i> 5:6) to Bezalel leading the Israelites in the building of the desert <i>Mishkan</i> (Ex. 35), to the commandment of <i>hiddur mitzvah, </i>“beautifying the commandments.” In <i>Midrash M’chilta d’ Rabbi Ishmael,</i>it says:<br />
<blockquote>
“I shall glorify God in the way I perform <i>mitzvot.</i> I shall prepare a beautiful lulav, beautiful sukkah, beautiful tzitzit, and beautiful tefillin.” (<i>Shirata</i>,
Ch. 3). The Talmud adds, “a beautiful shofar and a beautiful Torah
scroll which has been written by a skilled scribe with fine ink and fine
pen and wrapped in beautiful silks” (<i>Shabbat</i> 133b).</blockquote>
Our hands still can — and must — do the work of connecting us to the
Divine. We can paint, draw, weave, cut, carve, and inscribe — in the
service of our people and the Eternal. We can tell our story, praise
God, and promote the ideals of <i>tzedakah</i>, <i>emet</i> and shalom.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegqT_vOVamEwwMUnQGNsYcvevy9mgWdz0UEI4qcBZmOel6-IWbxLp7vvuATps3uivU-tStTvtxdgEDwCPIO0yKt-6hEemKixmqPop9dPSR0AjoAH94MlR2kBtxjzRhMUeZOJw0aelnMqc/s1600/just-altar-smoke-and-fire-for-twitter-promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="453" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegqT_vOVamEwwMUnQGNsYcvevy9mgWdz0UEI4qcBZmOel6-IWbxLp7vvuATps3uivU-tStTvtxdgEDwCPIO0yKt-6hEemKixmqPop9dPSR0AjoAH94MlR2kBtxjzRhMUeZOJw0aelnMqc/s200/just-altar-smoke-and-fire-for-twitter-promo.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Altar Flame" and "Altar Smoke"<br />
[click to enlarge]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In my work as a papercutter I am in constant engagement with this
task, cutting up and collaging comic books and other found materials and
using them as a lens through which to study Torah and make “paper
midrash.” My papercuts “Altar Flame” and “Altar Smoke” are two
explorations of this week’s <i>parashah:</i> attempts to find meaning in superseded ritual practices.
<br />
<br />
Both of these papercuts reflect the connection between the Jewish
people and the Divine, in ancient and modern practice. Within the flames
rising from the altar can be found Phoenix, a superhero member of the
X-Men with godlike powers, as well as Wonder Woman, whose story is one
of constant back-and-forth between gods and human beings. Tucked into
the sacrificial smoke are comics featuring godlike heroes like Superman
and Thor and also very human heroes like Batman. Our narratives about
the relationships of these super-powered beings, and how they connect
with the people around them, an inform our ideas about our relationship
with God. We ask ourselves what it means to communicate directly with
the Divine, and for what purpose we praise God with our hands and
hearts.<br />
<br />
Jews have always made things of beauty — for ritual and observance,
and also to inspire people and praise the Divine. The work of our hands
is vital to the work of our souls.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-18505268802415538472020-02-19T10:56:00.000-08:002020-02-19T10:56:03.408-08:00Paper Midrash in Lafayette (no, not the one from Hamilton)Just wanted to quickly post a few photos from our Paper Midrash residency at <a href="https://temple-isaiah.org/">Temple Isaiah</a> in Lafayette, California. Rabbi Shawna and I gave a visual sermon on "People of the Comic Book" and we used our "<a href="https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50436">Paper T'filah Visual T'filah</a>" for Friday night services, had an oneg Shabbat scavenger hunt with some of my work, led an adult papercutting workshop, and even had the religious school get into the fun with our exclusive "Fold-and-Cut Torah" lesson plan!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEs45_qWBUmu9iQcmZBr83ayZ_0JygmDjeBiu74v5oBLZHBTF344p0On8Z_XD8_mvZS6F_hI82n-C9f5Eud2r5cgjCbTonvf0vpNr4FzqsnmB1EO01jYf1cjuosB6XzMNVbntcAggq8Mw/s1600/lafayette_VT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="1024" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEs45_qWBUmu9iQcmZBr83ayZ_0JygmDjeBiu74v5oBLZHBTF344p0On8Z_XD8_mvZS6F_hI82n-C9f5Eud2r5cgjCbTonvf0vpNr4FzqsnmB1EO01jYf1cjuosB6XzMNVbntcAggq8Mw/s320/lafayette_VT.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Paper T'filah Visual T'filah" in Erev Shabbat services</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56uN_a5zWhs7xD4xtNZBCdXez3wGi4UPxNCY5h-hJvHM9AjakLK39meVcfHTi2LZBr-kFLuqTSPV_xwLNJKmlr9o-FRhSwFqtFzpDb2dRhmwnKCaTZPROIN2A1jE2dJF50hLR627I6vas/s1600/lafayette_scavenger-hunt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="1024" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56uN_a5zWhs7xD4xtNZBCdXez3wGi4UPxNCY5h-hJvHM9AjakLK39meVcfHTi2LZBr-kFLuqTSPV_xwLNJKmlr9o-FRhSwFqtFzpDb2dRhmwnKCaTZPROIN2A1jE2dJF50hLR627I6vas/s320/lafayette_scavenger-hunt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oneg Shabbat Scavenger Hunt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJucSnNuxceAWHYmPb4LxLqkE5IEuZ2fvpuZYOi3BsRbq05OQz5ONc0VKRGBJNSdMWxOO4dp0NQtws_VKUautrOd6Jc9qx8M9Mrb_k6TBoKHO0VQX956DpAGkRHkKZaYG67ePEnSX054_/s1600/lafayette_workshop-facilitating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1024" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJucSnNuxceAWHYmPb4LxLqkE5IEuZ2fvpuZYOi3BsRbq05OQz5ONc0VKRGBJNSdMWxOO4dp0NQtws_VKUautrOd6Jc9qx8M9Mrb_k6TBoKHO0VQX956DpAGkRHkKZaYG67ePEnSX054_/s320/lafayette_workshop-facilitating.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making Paper Midrash with Rabbi Shawna</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2yaYMrYEk0BJU8-fRrav0CioOTHMwAd_hAjb5WHJ8q5Tg8rWV_RImx7fYZF2L9Iy2Apqfww9b8TuicaDSiy-kKaUEyKw1uxDAOLnzkJWvS4d0m3qNrS2szlKlZNmhieUJrwJTcxf75zW/s1600/lafayette_workshop-process.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2yaYMrYEk0BJU8-fRrav0CioOTHMwAd_hAjb5WHJ8q5Tg8rWV_RImx7fYZF2L9Iy2Apqfww9b8TuicaDSiy-kKaUEyKw1uxDAOLnzkJWvS4d0m3qNrS2szlKlZNmhieUJrwJTcxf75zW/s320/lafayette_workshop-process.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbi Nicki Greninger made Paper Midrash in our workshop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPLaMilrqNQLH5w0yTvibLYvRURUMeIuQRyLElRIO9OaW20mCHK4gtRSTGy9zevAHJu7vhLbZgXjFpAt7rbnfs120s7XgxvsBo6n_udCnNljjxuzV86m_hus3yPkQWWnxkRHu3rUM14o3/s1600/lafayette_workshop-group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1024" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPLaMilrqNQLH5w0yTvibLYvRURUMeIuQRyLElRIO9OaW20mCHK4gtRSTGy9zevAHJu7vhLbZgXjFpAt7rbnfs120s7XgxvsBo6n_udCnNljjxuzV86m_hus3yPkQWWnxkRHu3rUM14o3/s320/lafayette_workshop-group.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a great group in our adult papercutting workshop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-458HIxNeqGCc5dmyNo3XAL1Zf3NoAWaD6JBn3VBR1YZyggxR1tS5yunNx3fvDlzZSYtazJvnuhGuj-TRclrycTl3FlIrOrFsLJ6IMkYVqekklBIA7csAnE6RHaeexfNV_jahDT65yj6e/s1600/PaperMidrash_TempleIsaiah_Karen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-458HIxNeqGCc5dmyNo3XAL1Zf3NoAWaD6JBn3VBR1YZyggxR1tS5yunNx3fvDlzZSYtazJvnuhGuj-TRclrycTl3FlIrOrFsLJ6IMkYVqekklBIA7csAnE6RHaeexfNV_jahDT65yj6e/s320/PaperMidrash_TempleIsaiah_Karen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paper Midrash made by Karen, a workshop participant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1lOtldHBwhjPMOqwDneFjB9jjropQbMnr2B3RbNFq7rtnAFLcSzlD9KX90YIMW6cYOL-AOS_NggM_9GRdYiIP0YxkCB1b_UMtCOV3ajEPCyqtixUeQTXxM_zUTiflgrtRf3aI8hOC0PN/s1600/PaperMidrash_TempleIsaiah_Nathan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1lOtldHBwhjPMOqwDneFjB9jjropQbMnr2B3RbNFq7rtnAFLcSzlD9KX90YIMW6cYOL-AOS_NggM_9GRdYiIP0YxkCB1b_UMtCOV3ajEPCyqtixUeQTXxM_zUTiflgrtRf3aI8hOC0PN/s320/PaperMidrash_TempleIsaiah_Nathan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paper Midrash made by Nathan, workshop participant</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN3lJ5YKZPngkMHE-1_4rN_nhkSok2I448bXxxSrXJWDa8ufP7v5b-OZo4AWKWnWL0kp8mmPlaS0YOifS6JTiV9hljURbClchDYLoapIZpPh0bc4tvRg12iAUwT3Y9bpXvozvRa5P7C49/s1600/PaperMidrash_TempleIsaiah_RabbiNG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN3lJ5YKZPngkMHE-1_4rN_nhkSok2I448bXxxSrXJWDa8ufP7v5b-OZo4AWKWnWL0kp8mmPlaS0YOifS6JTiV9hljURbClchDYLoapIZpPh0bc4tvRg12iAUwT3Y9bpXvozvRa5P7C49/s320/PaperMidrash_TempleIsaiah_RabbiNG.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paper Midrash made by Rabbi Greninger</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-80532668080412431142020-01-21T11:13:00.000-08:002020-01-21T11:13:34.572-08:00Men of Steel and Women of Valor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStZ3NvKf_tIYsbaYnFX7aOdX84igqUcnGG0tw70so1BACuZz3AJccyjeYzvJrk1jP4b3b6tlr_uLcoDJxEbQE2cRbK_YjdzafeFDYe04GkHoFdMDz9-_9W1OCOBUIr5EU9ceczDE6KtX3/s1600/Cleveland-email-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="770" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStZ3NvKf_tIYsbaYnFX7aOdX84igqUcnGG0tw70so1BACuZz3AJccyjeYzvJrk1jP4b3b6tlr_uLcoDJxEbQE2cRbK_YjdzafeFDYe04GkHoFdMDz9-_9W1OCOBUIr5EU9ceczDE6KtX3/s320/Cleveland-email-banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This fall I opened a new exhibition at <a href="https://www.ttti.org/the-temple-museum-of-jewish-art-religion-and-culture/" target="_blank">The Temple Museum of Jewish Art, Religion, and Culture</a> in Cleveland called "<a href="http://www.nicejewishartist.com/Links/IsaacB2-MenofSteelandWomenofValor.pdf" target="_blank">Men of Steel and Women of Valor</a>," and I've been
keeping you posted here (and on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/nicejewishartist" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/isaacb2" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/nicejewishartist" target="_blank">Instagram</a>)
but as the exhibition comes to a close it seemed appropriate to put
everything up in one place – right here on my blog. (You can also read about it in <a href="https://forward.com/culture/433128/this-sukkot-this-artist-invited-superheroes-to-his-sukkah/">The Forward</a> or the <a href="https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/culture/cleveland-shines-in-men-of-steel-women-of-valor-art/article_f086f8b8-eb69-11e9-b732-03832585e407.html">Cleveland Jewish News</a>.)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KxdRKGAj_sAqvrXnzVSpTKGT2yD0re1E1vyhBoSFGkdwQTWYu9Oqk0wZQ618Wug7RVX8Q65Y_tEvkQuwVnMUhcD_kjRN6_H4yJqymO3y5NAbxxtdbxQHR-DFRBSkYODrtQjRNt8IO8E4/s1600/IMG_0754.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KxdRKGAj_sAqvrXnzVSpTKGT2yD0re1E1vyhBoSFGkdwQTWYu9Oqk0wZQ618Wug7RVX8Q65Y_tEvkQuwVnMUhcD_kjRN6_H4yJqymO3y5NAbxxtdbxQHR-DFRBSkYODrtQjRNt8IO8E4/s320/IMG_0754.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing in the gallery – in my Superboy shirt, of course.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
At the heart of the exhibition is a series of large portraits made of
cut-up comic books featuring Superman and Lois Lane, Daredevil and
Elektra, the Fantastic Four — transformed into the biblical patriarchs
and matriarchs, as well as modern figures. These portraits are a nod to
the Jewish custom of inviting guests into one’s sukkah during the fall
festival of Sukkot, since we opened the exhibition just before Sukkot. In fact, Rabbi Shawna and I went to <a href="https://www.ttti.org/" target="_blank">The Temple-Tifereth Israel</a> for a <a href="http://www.papermidrash.com/" target="_blank">Paper Midrash</a> weekend to coincide with the exhibition, praying and teaching and creating all weekend with the community.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vOnx3uqVZNaoa52tMbCYsZmQOt8xcgFMOCg5Mutg6a5xZ-5NUlysvjivNVHDs3NnAoXMxY7lUUVQnlL5ztrJu5OKsPtr1bmkPAlTpyc-RtKoswFeYRKTyfjzAvKrVRYIm5jkG6RiP1kd/s1600/IMG_0710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vOnx3uqVZNaoa52tMbCYsZmQOt8xcgFMOCg5Mutg6a5xZ-5NUlysvjivNVHDs3NnAoXMxY7lUUVQnlL5ztrJu5OKsPtr1bmkPAlTpyc-RtKoswFeYRKTyfjzAvKrVRYIm5jkG6RiP1kd/s320/IMG_0710.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbi Shawna and I led a bunch of papercutting workshops during our Paper Midrash weekend</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RTiOfCCAa18uD5MYQG1nICaEY5JBbIdJ0LGGKhSgZr-Hbal3k8QPIq_B6dp1bS7WdCvAgRLaaF5899EGf8tr5JxyYPX_tsGtEkIOktoUmx3BNe9AXlWEHr2McBLKxKS3K3CiXUkgcbZq/s1600/IMG_0729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RTiOfCCAa18uD5MYQG1nICaEY5JBbIdJ0LGGKhSgZr-Hbal3k8QPIq_B6dp1bS7WdCvAgRLaaF5899EGf8tr5JxyYPX_tsGtEkIOktoUmx3BNe9AXlWEHr2McBLKxKS3K3CiXUkgcbZq/s320/IMG_0729.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We led a number of projects to create new art for the walls of the TTTI sukkah</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEUmrLgLg7cLiZrD_6tz0O-Q_on7PbzJowE01sxVU3816FGFz3_iYko_LRkCrifWCAXcdxNkKvonKa8Sn7ZXllWlCOtlJ0wAQ48GKmhA9D_2AjwrVUCtnbY6ZJGMqGXo0gfjgzmePJmAe/s1600/IMG_0770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEUmrLgLg7cLiZrD_6tz0O-Q_on7PbzJowE01sxVU3816FGFz3_iYko_LRkCrifWCAXcdxNkKvonKa8Sn7ZXllWlCOtlJ0wAQ48GKmhA9D_2AjwrVUCtnbY6ZJGMqGXo0gfjgzmePJmAe/s320/IMG_0770.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teaching in "the birthplace of Superman"</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />The exhibition focused heavily on Superman, created in Cleveland in
the 1930s by two Jews, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster — portraits of whom
are included in the show, made of cut-up Superman comics from the past
90 years. You can see the whole show online in <a href="http://www.nicejewishartist.com/Links/IsaacB2-MenofSteelandWomenofValor.pdf" target="_blank">this PDF catalog</a>, or check out the pix below.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv25gkP3q4WrhZ6sK5zkr1nAI-Z3VzNp0zsayvvsBP8HDhDPRW5reF1xMbFPPrQc7qI7REVmtsBVfBCHud4nGxsxe-mXvD6EPSfxRqmd7wGdHyxvibw8ZzHuY3czGI7cIf3Q_77WH-bbgB/s1600/Abraham-Ignition_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv25gkP3q4WrhZ6sK5zkr1nAI-Z3VzNp0zsayvvsBP8HDhDPRW5reF1xMbFPPrQc7qI7REVmtsBVfBCHud4nGxsxe-mXvD6EPSfxRqmd7wGdHyxvibw8ZzHuY3czGI7cIf3Q_77WH-bbgB/s320/Abraham-Ignition_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Abraham: Ignition" is made with cut-up Fantastic Four comics featuring patriarch Reed Richards</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7FFQTJvX8UkIeDSXTv0qs-pGN-Z_9H_Uz_nmhCi5gVHjfp6COKBtgkicgr-ry_TMPEExU7-khsqB73mCgrBVFdJJ_poN-m8mYPBYcCQXc_En0n79rcKViqIBGdlAO6-cV2NPkf1W5PmU_/s1600/Sarah-Forward_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7FFQTJvX8UkIeDSXTv0qs-pGN-Z_9H_Uz_nmhCi5gVHjfp6COKBtgkicgr-ry_TMPEExU7-khsqB73mCgrBVFdJJ_poN-m8mYPBYcCQXc_En0n79rcKViqIBGdlAO6-cV2NPkf1W5PmU_/s320/Sarah-Forward_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Sarah: Forward" is made with cut-up Fantastic Four comics featuring matriarch Sue Storm Richards</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXy5-D_cZXQDEHZafNFpcWfyoO433gugf85j8Jqa9QAURPGIfD_x17cYKFK1w33ohHLrna8MhYJPIkOrSnIVTwtCSD-hwMNtn43TP0pne7zkkIFw-l8A8sF47wXrf9PDKvqS5hyphenhyphenfZ2TR0v/s1600/Isaac-Hurt_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXy5-D_cZXQDEHZafNFpcWfyoO433gugf85j8Jqa9QAURPGIfD_x17cYKFK1w33ohHLrna8MhYJPIkOrSnIVTwtCSD-hwMNtn43TP0pne7zkkIFw-l8A8sF47wXrf9PDKvqS5hyphenhyphenfZ2TR0v/s320/Isaac-Hurt_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Isaac: Hurt" is made of comics featuring blind vigilant super hero Daredevil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRV3PHz_dR0aaYQeW0F3MPqqCRxSMPNS19tINHikXakcfwCof4fP8XwfSNAJTgidZIM5ywwVsDZDhnVWjKC3xCcI8BnWmr_dJYNd69uLk34rZGqcIehcEtZrK9cb5jWqqkz-Lr95_p9LeR/s1600/Rebekah-Someone_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRV3PHz_dR0aaYQeW0F3MPqqCRxSMPNS19tINHikXakcfwCof4fP8XwfSNAJTgidZIM5ywwVsDZDhnVWjKC3xCcI8BnWmr_dJYNd69uLk34rZGqcIehcEtZrK9cb5jWqqkz-Lr95_p9LeR/s320/Rebekah-Someone_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Rebekah: Someone" is made of comics featuring ninja badass Elektra</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQJdHvEZw6eDZPeXg5HXtsvKi1ffHD8JSgnwcmMQKu0y8piRZRiXsisarf4mAwsIwhFgPZk-Qo1rfhX8-zzksQfIrz_AhtFf7H5t4HUKxv0W4DqaxV_nhf8DtnFQq4pwz4ETG3itIWrvG/s1600/Jacob-Disguise_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQJdHvEZw6eDZPeXg5HXtsvKi1ffHD8JSgnwcmMQKu0y8piRZRiXsisarf4mAwsIwhFgPZk-Qo1rfhX8-zzksQfIrz_AhtFf7H5t4HUKxv0W4DqaxV_nhf8DtnFQq4pwz4ETG3itIWrvG/s320/Jacob-Disguise_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Jacob:Disguise" is made of Clark Kent comics (and a little bit of Loki)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKu7ePEYBjdYzxDaJnszW8wGSafoppILSSQq-r1r0ozcGQgoEo4pKqDRli0zNyzE7NkMPOuOlKT04lyaTb8c4zHneJSS48vqmCxrbSqjyNPFhxHQPTNNhSlF1SsmT8y2u5bMQ-StV7qqF/s1600/Leah-Suppress_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKu7ePEYBjdYzxDaJnszW8wGSafoppILSSQq-r1r0ozcGQgoEo4pKqDRli0zNyzE7NkMPOuOlKT04lyaTb8c4zHneJSS48vqmCxrbSqjyNPFhxHQPTNNhSlF1SsmT8y2u5bMQ-StV7qqF/s320/Leah-Suppress_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Leah: Suppress" is made of comics featuring Lois Lane (and so is her sister)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFh4emeIvhQHwAqWJIhtFOg7ZpYcEuxVy0v8XkXHU34rnLOaqDLHnXp-c-0Ot4X6e7ktjq3sDUQHJkWaSGlbSCg0QdsXmguhegp57K2GEFY1j0aE1eLj_Z-C9oikYBWn19S3OPGb1xN8jW/s1600/Rachel-Answers_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFh4emeIvhQHwAqWJIhtFOg7ZpYcEuxVy0v8XkXHU34rnLOaqDLHnXp-c-0Ot4X6e7ktjq3sDUQHJkWaSGlbSCg0QdsXmguhegp57K2GEFY1j0aE1eLj_Z-C9oikYBWn19S3OPGb1xN8jW/s320/Rachel-Answers_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Rachel: Answers" is made of comics featuring Lois Lane (and so is her sister)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It also included portraits of Golda Meir, Israel’s first
female prime minister, and Sally Priesand, America’s first female rabbi.
The portraits share the walls with landscapes of Jerusalem, stories of
fire and water and cloud, and explorations of the Mishnah — all made out
of cut-up comic books.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMv2s2XFQRLweBooM5gxxPleBbckl21fk3FwC_KYDM-doqSc4c2mC9pVTvmP9GL12h_zYnsYISF4Kx67xsOqGYSKWqFO1V-FLqOxDLO2_WBBWHuyQY9ZAIIswjeWK9fEjNRoYFUyfBycPR/s1600/Siegel-Chutzpah_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMv2s2XFQRLweBooM5gxxPleBbckl21fk3FwC_KYDM-doqSc4c2mC9pVTvmP9GL12h_zYnsYISF4Kx67xsOqGYSKWqFO1V-FLqOxDLO2_WBBWHuyQY9ZAIIswjeWK9fEjNRoYFUyfBycPR/s320/Siegel-Chutzpah_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">“Siegel: Chutzpah” is a portrait of Jerry Siegel, the writer who co-created Superman. Siegel is represented with cut-up comics featuring some of my favorite Superman writers from the past 90 years.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHp4eldGtAWzVFbM7nuKsyBYr4uB7X1zniE2a3PlmKEd61Wgw-5LgvvJ1fhoR4I3OpFTOHyNY0TTlyxOF8XvbCqtT8LSsNqtwSQbybQmyzbkI5dXBF7qHX2L9NYTxmtTKiD2Oda_vWLMd/s1600/Shuster-Action_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHp4eldGtAWzVFbM7nuKsyBYr4uB7X1zniE2a3PlmKEd61Wgw-5LgvvJ1fhoR4I3OpFTOHyNY0TTlyxOF8XvbCqtT8LSsNqtwSQbybQmyzbkI5dXBF7qHX2L9NYTxmtTKiD2Oda_vWLMd/s320/Shuster-Action_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">“Shuster: Action” is a portrait of Joe Shuster, the artist who co-created Superman, Shuster is represented with cut-up comics featuring some of my favorite Superman artists from the past 90 years.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_VQkijdVrgCuxD6Kvu32VrEUNcU_oDtIVgRSjxAqRf5ppq0O7qWnluy9MlnSU7Kp7xKeBZap4lezPpPN-6-74rPp9smK3E0Ctx6H6VvOW9OK1P7yiF0yclRe0kNDH_RTLdGtBzEDZvgq/s1600/Priesand-MyTurn_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_VQkijdVrgCuxD6Kvu32VrEUNcU_oDtIVgRSjxAqRf5ppq0O7qWnluy9MlnSU7Kp7xKeBZap4lezPpPN-6-74rPp9smK3E0Ctx6H6VvOW9OK1P7yiF0yclRe0kNDH_RTLdGtBzEDZvgq/s320/Priesand-MyTurn_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">“Priesand: My Turn” is a portrait of the first woman to be ordained as a rabbi in the United States, Sally Priesand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8IsFCFH_AHyhBaLk1iSY5aZ5jaAZ5AjO8Bgcy_qamczgbiXEHW_9FxfbSrPgKfqtsYeEsqMgHK1HuLe6QDQT2KBWpdDwBabKsL8E2EFKw-HNynf0GJIstZrMHNhsE3-q1iLNs2ANnGhG/s1600/Meir-Fight_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8IsFCFH_AHyhBaLk1iSY5aZ5jaAZ5AjO8Bgcy_qamczgbiXEHW_9FxfbSrPgKfqtsYeEsqMgHK1HuLe6QDQT2KBWpdDwBabKsL8E2EFKw-HNynf0GJIstZrMHNhsE3-q1iLNs2ANnGhG/s320/Meir-Fight_800px.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">“Meir: Fight” is a portrait of Golda Meir, the first woman to serve as Prime Minister of Israel. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /><br />You can see the whole show online in <a href="http://www.nicejewishartist.com/Links/IsaacB2-MenofSteelandWomenofValor.pdf" target="_blank">this PDF catalog</a>. For more information on our residencies and workshops, visit <a href="http://www.papermidrash.com/">PaperMidrash.com</a>.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-21511663792256611752020-01-01T10:00:00.000-08:002020-01-03T09:52:48.980-08:00Deep Space Shiviti<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BSo9zoVsd2ZkczgUeyo8DIwWuJBfDAkz_tuAwNzwYDxlfzDJrXQzh-SGdZp7hxnsjHBMs7TpNFL54JHkAWG8WtybAhAtW-1z409dxWJk3rrn92aLjDWpy8_zOH09gVATWdJjNP1pZW_a/s1600/IsaacB2_Deep-Space-Shiviti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="1024" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BSo9zoVsd2ZkczgUeyo8DIwWuJBfDAkz_tuAwNzwYDxlfzDJrXQzh-SGdZp7hxnsjHBMs7TpNFL54JHkAWG8WtybAhAtW-1z409dxWJk3rrn92aLjDWpy8_zOH09gVATWdJjNP1pZW_a/s320/IsaacB2_Deep-Space-Shiviti.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
“Deep Space Shiviti” is a papercut I created for <a href="https://www.paulkipnes.com/" target="_blank">Rabbi Paul Kipnes</a> in December 2019, commissioned as a birthday present by his family. It is modeled on the traditional Jewish shiviti, a meditative artwork inspired by words from Psalms 16:8: “I have always placed the Eternal before me,” intended to inspire an appropriate frame of mind for prayer and contemplation. The shiviti traditionally incorporates a seven-branched menorah, words drawn from Jewish texts, kabbalah, and other mystical sources; this one also features cut-up comic books.<br />
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“Deep Space Shiviti” is a contemporary and personal interpretation of this traditional form, built around a vision from the fourth chapter of the book of Zechariah, which describes a lampstand of gold, feeding into and being fed by two olive trees, one on either side. It is a vision of replenishment and renewal, of resilience and rededication. Surrounded on both sides by the twelve gems of Aaron’s priestly breastplate (an allusion to Rabbi Kipnes’ Hebrew name), the menorah stands in front of the Kotel in Jerusalem, reinvented as a place where everyone stands together for inspiration and connection.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8fzJkKjsG4BewuiP7H8bBe2tUZemsLhfLj5WsHxzfxRIr-w2SwKHyAzzG7jWL4zLW8wv2SB95Gf1pBkWzApgDCilbNPwMqMHFvditKjDVLmBMsobBUj11GFE8d9xwP3NJzK-fxEjrsqx/s1600/kipnes_detail_energize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1303" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8fzJkKjsG4BewuiP7H8bBe2tUZemsLhfLj5WsHxzfxRIr-w2SwKHyAzzG7jWL4zLW8wv2SB95Gf1pBkWzApgDCilbNPwMqMHFvditKjDVLmBMsobBUj11GFE8d9xwP3NJzK-fxEjrsqx/s320/kipnes_detail_energize.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The words and imagery in “Deep Space Shiviti” are drawn from comic
books — two kinds in particular: Star Trek comics and comics featuring
Jewish super heroes. The name “Deep Space Shiviti” is itself a reference to <a href="https://youtu.be/1tZ3ny3bfmw" target="_blank">Rabbi Kipnes’ guest appearance on an episode of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkFFqlz-gK6MhOuY4EIm6Rg9ZElkZPD3_yofVw-opCGdLJkAAwV3ozu1Z3_jh4goINfKsTkKWrXRL-J-tRuBjBEZO1p_GotXBP8qrjUAf1IKk6xj3NHpX3uFWFuDiJQBqls4Ye4Be_Vo_/s1600/Deep-Space-Shiviti_tease.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="400" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkFFqlz-gK6MhOuY4EIm6Rg9ZElkZPD3_yofVw-opCGdLJkAAwV3ozu1Z3_jh4goINfKsTkKWrXRL-J-tRuBjBEZO1p_GotXBP8qrjUAf1IKk6xj3NHpX3uFWFuDiJQBqls4Ye4Be_Vo_/s320/Deep-Space-Shiviti_tease.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There are allusions to Rabbi Kipnes’ family and community;
to places close to his heart; to his roles as husband, father, rabbi...
and as a man true to himself. The papercut contains camp cabins, maps
of wondrous places, and images of light and inspiration.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7iVSjmH9o2OSn8I6K_j6WFhX283rinxPWo_RZVtQGcopKbyXrq4ytN2i-tV3qDg8oBQQAZA10bMHn5CObRPb9t2GlH0zZ3zXJaDkwOhDxojjaKdhwgC4yPJ2RZvb7FsI8ZgKXWSc7kRr/s1600/kipnes_detail_stand-together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7iVSjmH9o2OSn8I6K_j6WFhX283rinxPWo_RZVtQGcopKbyXrq4ytN2i-tV3qDg8oBQQAZA10bMHn5CObRPb9t2GlH0zZ3zXJaDkwOhDxojjaKdhwgC4yPJ2RZvb7FsI8ZgKXWSc7kRr/s320/kipnes_detail_stand-together.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>
There is the
Bat Signal, another lighted symbol of hope; Yggdrasill, the “world tree”
whose roots and branches support and connect the fabled Nine Realms;
and Deep Space Nine, a home to a diverse group of people with different
backgrounds who are united in a common cause (and also of special
meaning to Rabbi Kipnes). The papercut also features multiple Jewish super
heroes, including Kitty Pryde and Benjamin “The Thing” Grimm — the
former with her “Hold Fast” tattoo and the latter holding his Star of
David necklace; Black Canary, whose commitment to heroism is matched by
her commitment to handing down her super heroic beliefs and practices to
the next generation; and Spider-Man, who reminds us that with great
power must also come great responsibility.<br />
<br />
The papercut includes:<br />
All-New X-Men #13 (Aug 2013)<br />
Astonishing X-Men #36 (Apr 2011)<br />
Batwoman #3 (Jan 2012), #16 (Mar 2013)<br />
Booster Gold #19 (Jun 2009)<br />
The Life of Captain Marvel #1 (Oct 2018)<br />
Dazzler #38 (Jul 1985) – “Light”, #1 (Aug 2018)<br />
Excalibur #66 (Jun 1993)<br />
Fantastic Four #56 (Aug 2002)<br />
The Legion of Super-Heroes #503 (Sep 1983)<br />
Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes #352 (Oct 1987)<br />
Lumberjanes: A Bird’s Eye View (Dec 2017 <br />
Marauders #2 (Jan 2020)<br />
Noble Causes: Distant Relatives #2 (Sep 2003)<br />
The Ray #1 (May 1994)<br />
Scarlet #8 (May 2016)<br />
Star Trek Movie Special: Star Trek III (1984)<br />
Star Trek: The Next Generation #24 (Oct 1991)<br />
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #1 (Aug 1993)<br />
Star Trek: Year Five #1 (Apr 2019) Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-63299233225726107712019-11-13T19:16:00.001-08:002019-11-13T19:19:21.535-08:00Paper Midrash in North CarolinaThis year, since High Holidays, Rabbi Shawna and I have been in Manhattan
(NY), North Hollywood (CA), Cleveland (OH), Milwaukee (WI)... and we're
just getting started! This past weekend we were in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, bringing Paper Midrash to Temple Emanuel – and we had a great time, as usual.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMwnL-Gd72qBrlJUaypPvLXbncJJfF3SvvGipIsWl-DJET1wjXtVfv_zFU3zN6ncqqeYas6bDni1AhCTUyK8rfBEJL_y2UIEWfC9P8i7GJY-2GoHeZ_Ewm311h7hYwxhDWq5yYf11Zfvs/s1600/01-TEWS_VT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1000" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMwnL-Gd72qBrlJUaypPvLXbncJJfF3SvvGipIsWl-DJET1wjXtVfv_zFU3zN6ncqqeYas6bDni1AhCTUyK8rfBEJL_y2UIEWfC9P8i7GJY-2GoHeZ_Ewm311h7hYwxhDWq5yYf11Zfvs/s320/01-TEWS_VT.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbi Mark Cohn leading Erev Shabbat services with "Paper T'filah Visual T'filah"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We started the weekend with a pop-up gallery for an intimate gathering of temple leadership, then in to services which Rabbi Mark Cohn led with "<a href="https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50436" target="_blank">Paper T'filah Visual T'filah</a>" (which I made in cooperation with CCAR Press).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiOD8Nuup13_O5qq2KzHl2UHtJ6-y0_Bb_N6ULqDni6fgn6LEf-bolC3fFwNpl3_sYcnLKD3hDK51emWlX4FG0SsbnCLnYsMwxh7AJQMw_W-S1FDKWdZQ9ODthJGv0NrqIlfeVaZYnTzv/s1600/Lech+Lecha+sermon.001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiOD8Nuup13_O5qq2KzHl2UHtJ6-y0_Bb_N6ULqDni6fgn6LEf-bolC3fFwNpl3_sYcnLKD3hDK51emWlX4FG0SsbnCLnYsMwxh7AJQMw_W-S1FDKWdZQ9ODthJGv0NrqIlfeVaZYnTzv/s320/Lech+Lecha+sermon.001.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rabbi Shawna and I gave a visual sermon on this week's Torah portion, which we called "Lech L'cha: Boldly Go," which referenced Abraham and Sarah (of course) but also Star Trek, The Fantastic Four, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, and more.<br />
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Saturday morning we led a Paper Midrash workshop, in which participants created beautiful and meaningful midrashic interpretations of Lech L'cha, cutting up comic books just like I do in my studio.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1sxIGVE24VDENL3-7o7m1Mbhyphenhyphen-4WrBWkh1uflJwCrr978p4TAg8NzYTZSFkw5l4Ks3jCBA6HE3nbj-FUNzerneb6fRZxW7x9w4b-V1HbNsH6iTdEykMKFutH4rt-AOZIx9sIpqvGTV6S/s1600/03-TEWS_working-with-windows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1024" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1sxIGVE24VDENL3-7o7m1Mbhyphenhyphen-4WrBWkh1uflJwCrr978p4TAg8NzYTZSFkw5l4Ks3jCBA6HE3nbj-FUNzerneb6fRZxW7x9w4b-V1HbNsH6iTdEykMKFutH4rt-AOZIx9sIpqvGTV6S/s320/03-TEWS_working-with-windows.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9xg88OrE12KaBykObfrmDYK1D8GOqLLm8ycxjsf-8f2keXaW1VvMTFO_WYdBR_J-PrynX7vgDvBaYadOjQAEYaoCXu-GO_yhRM97OlMk1xddI7f5naXmB4PO0nnvwyDBS9ZDh49o7q4H/s1600/04-TEWS_working.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1024" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9xg88OrE12KaBykObfrmDYK1D8GOqLLm8ycxjsf-8f2keXaW1VvMTFO_WYdBR_J-PrynX7vgDvBaYadOjQAEYaoCXu-GO_yhRM97OlMk1xddI7f5naXmB4PO0nnvwyDBS9ZDh49o7q4H/s320/04-TEWS_working.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdabv8jVfiTBWSX2AUNkmORmGfXqlAfw7Je9WD4AD6DwGXpVDh4LUCo1D0NanqBkCoTUBD2Z_EodONmiONcwdTW0Ybz_GNsi4-YlWB8nSfevvpXJXYbSRPL1-JMLf74SDVLQbHTCS4Egy/s1600/05-PaperMidrash-TEWS_Katherine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdabv8jVfiTBWSX2AUNkmORmGfXqlAfw7Je9WD4AD6DwGXpVDh4LUCo1D0NanqBkCoTUBD2Z_EodONmiONcwdTW0Ybz_GNsi4-YlWB8nSfevvpXJXYbSRPL1-JMLf74SDVLQbHTCS4Egy/s320/05-PaperMidrash-TEWS_Katherine.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">God calls to Abram and Sarai: "Lech L'cha!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKvLcr9RDmWRkZxUQ-meX-zDLsKCPN1R3ozaYz_GBqNt2OVoj-13xLYQS14xw97OOU0Ud7Ar3tHj2H6NrX_hHUQhqBnRUdfRSNSkKjpXOjJbBvRuyTsTJcRHrnDSrwrG4SEiIBejwYs-U/s1600/06-PaperMidrash-TEWS_Alex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKvLcr9RDmWRkZxUQ-meX-zDLsKCPN1R3ozaYz_GBqNt2OVoj-13xLYQS14xw97OOU0Ud7Ar3tHj2H6NrX_hHUQhqBnRUdfRSNSkKjpXOjJbBvRuyTsTJcRHrnDSrwrG4SEiIBejwYs-U/s320/06-PaperMidrash-TEWS_Alex.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abraham is a super hero, surviving being thrown into the fire by Nimrod.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAwaaCMOUYRm1L2mnB0qlbmTCZXMMxnv2FTZsjdMe3QCxPV1NvauWAn8O9iFXf5L06PkphKiRyKM_iuFZM9BD3YJPsBtdUEvDqndX9QvLl7Ee-J_zPU2qJoqmy_6ySB2AURJMQokUxaUt/s1600/07-PaperMidrash-TEWS_Diana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAwaaCMOUYRm1L2mnB0qlbmTCZXMMxnv2FTZsjdMe3QCxPV1NvauWAn8O9iFXf5L06PkphKiRyKM_iuFZM9BD3YJPsBtdUEvDqndX9QvLl7Ee-J_zPU2qJoqmy_6ySB2AURJMQokUxaUt/s320/07-PaperMidrash-TEWS_Diana.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarah has her own super hero: she talks directly to God and saves Abraham!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipElXD1mgdu1A0O5_Yo3s6_-7t58LZi48UnaT6wa90ku2tEnF3IrcC-RIUdkKPLfxrRXXYCqd-hHjGxkemyYJW3mx760YskT85mQHYdK6V7tau1BkeDb2lSSSU-dhwZYo3YFvyLCzJgw0/s1600/08-PaperMidrash-TEWS_MikeAndMaureen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipElXD1mgdu1A0O5_Yo3s6_-7t58LZi48UnaT6wa90ku2tEnF3IrcC-RIUdkKPLfxrRXXYCqd-hHjGxkemyYJW3mx760YskT85mQHYdK6V7tau1BkeDb2lSSSU-dhwZYo3YFvyLCzJgw0/s320/08-PaperMidrash-TEWS_MikeAndMaureen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarah being carried into Egypt by Abraham, disguised as his sister, IN A COFFIN. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Saturday night Rabbi Shawna and I presented "People of the (Comic) Book," a visual history of Jews and comic books, from the very first comic book in the 1930s up to present-day Jewish creators and characters.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zKek29t3x68dFvywHAV2VynGs43jVYstNfrFl_zbqSuJzRrFvfUdbV1vFtjpRIILNTkjX2MmIYFSQKFPfnCwD1rbhCBxUp-ayYfDBUk6w1sYmlfxb6ocHZoRdHgL_1AowuEEuU0DpQoX/s1600/10-TEWS_peopleofthecomicbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zKek29t3x68dFvywHAV2VynGs43jVYstNfrFl_zbqSuJzRrFvfUdbV1vFtjpRIILNTkjX2MmIYFSQKFPfnCwD1rbhCBxUp-ayYfDBUk6w1sYmlfxb6ocHZoRdHgL_1AowuEEuU0DpQoX/s320/10-TEWS_peopleofthecomicbook.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to talk about the patriarchs: Jerome, Joseph, Stanley, and Jacob</td></tr>
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It's such a fascinating subject, and we have so much fun revealing the semi-secret Jewish world behind Superman, Batman, the Marvel cinematic universe... so much good stuff.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nBAGdJa0-o5P336z3C9SQxBgECQDu-T4nZ1wdieoSGeyuiNz-yqxnNnUCSumsdqoCjgQaLavOXy6HTQL8bilu4BmLV6lFEMUHY3l73kIT-R0g5KuhdELZgpiEotcjhWU3MuhqZGSjDJD/s1600/11-TEWS_religiousschool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="997" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nBAGdJa0-o5P336z3C9SQxBgECQDu-T4nZ1wdieoSGeyuiNz-yqxnNnUCSumsdqoCjgQaLavOXy6HTQL8bilu4BmLV6lFEMUHY3l73kIT-R0g5KuhdELZgpiEotcjhWU3MuhqZGSjDJD/s320/11-TEWS_religiousschool.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Religious school students making "Fold-and-Cut Torah" projects in the Lamed Center</td></tr>
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Sunday morning we brought our "Fold-and-Cut Torah" project to the Temple Emanuel religious school – Rabbi Shawna and I led a special program for the fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students and their parents, while the K-5 classes used our lesson plan to create their own Torah focused on the values held in common with comic books.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKaQf3BJWpHie5qKnlD_FQBLjA5esxA5rPFwpywcwRLJPvpL3JiUSTyGJJh2sxon2DgBOxssXYozV295PE9BGcSf7lVh80_lWy3QTnnnJ3xqi1XYSRH5-QGvXOsld6KURTE75KsiMCH7x/s1600/12-TEWS_sundayservices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="916" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKaQf3BJWpHie5qKnlD_FQBLjA5esxA5rPFwpywcwRLJPvpL3JiUSTyGJJh2sxon2DgBOxssXYozV295PE9BGcSf7lVh80_lWy3QTnnnJ3xqi1XYSRH5-QGvXOsld6KURTE75KsiMCH7x/s320/12-TEWS_sundayservices.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning and praying with the "Twelve Tribes" papercuts</td></tr>
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Sunday ended with a special service for the religious school led by Rabbi Cohn that incorporated my papercuts, including my "Twelve Tribes" series – so proud to have my work used in this beautiful studying/praying/learning experience!<br />
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Want more information about bringing Paper Midrash to your community? Contact us at <a href="mailto:info@papermidrash.com">info@papermidrash.com</a> for details.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4045278967204222215.post-50485713061655850302019-09-11T07:58:00.002-07:002019-09-11T07:58:33.160-07:00Paper Midrash in Houston<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoDQzfAtV9mDzht01Q6Uev0Y9qjCvmUBpGaIGVXdx1KwRwhlKVVhJXE6ViTSMnqBaig58Bo5b2jL60dYEtvyuCf5Tl0rBYlSyvXuyIfaZdITZUjgYMV-RoyLm_PnVexwCbLlOwqWaBxpe/s1600/houston1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1328" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoDQzfAtV9mDzht01Q6Uev0Y9qjCvmUBpGaIGVXdx1KwRwhlKVVhJXE6ViTSMnqBaig58Bo5b2jL60dYEtvyuCf5Tl0rBYlSyvXuyIfaZdITZUjgYMV-RoyLm_PnVexwCbLlOwqWaBxpe/s320/houston1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There's a nice exhibition of my work at the <a href="https://www.erjcchouston.org/" target="_blank">Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Houston </a>this fall – check it out if you can. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXYRHskuy_dUC1OHZexn4jB993RHxOw2wmIJyTCT2Eadqe8iQsOlVozFIrHG40yM9hWKl87Y-lW-FBBGszrDPahemE5UQAScn7NX_1ROIh21iguR3EqDY0WDWf27GT4Xx7LA7pNU9J_cX/s1600/houston2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXYRHskuy_dUC1OHZexn4jB993RHxOw2wmIJyTCT2Eadqe8iQsOlVozFIrHG40yM9hWKl87Y-lW-FBBGszrDPahemE5UQAScn7NX_1ROIh21iguR3EqDY0WDWf27GT4Xx7LA7pNU9J_cX/s320/houston2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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