Hineini: A Papercut Commission

Hineini: The Ordination of Meir Bargeron

“Hineini” was commissioned for Meir Bargeron by his husband Jon to mark his 2020 rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

Designed to complement their ketubah, 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.

The lattice at the top evokes a roof, and matches the top of Meir and Jon's ketubah.

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.

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.”

The Hebrew word "Hineini" is filled with texts from Rabbi Meir's thesis and sermons.

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).

Wheat and barley and traditional Jewish metaphors for growth and morality.

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.

The "social distancing" hand-off.

Comics in "Hineni" include:

Action Comics #687 (June 1993) — “Look! Up in the sky!!”
Blackest Night: The Flash #1 (February 2010)
Bucky Barnes: Winter Soldier #1 (December 2014)
Detective Comics #936 (September 2016) — “There’s a call for you.”
Etc #1 (1989)
Eternals #10 (July 1986) — “I am here.”
Fantastic Four #587 (January 2011)
Flash #0 (October 1994) — Story called “the beginning of tomorrow”
The Flash: Rebirth #1 (June 2009)
The Flash #1 (June 2010)
JLA Secret Origins (November 2002)
Justice League International #35 (February 1990)
Kabuki: Reflections #6 (June 2006)
Secret Origins #7 (October 1986) — “Oh...My...God...!”
Shazam: The Power of Hope (November 2000)
Silver Star #1 (February 1983) — Jack Kirby
Superman: Peace on Earth (January 1999) — Krypto (for Charlie)
Superman #18 (February 2020) —Superman reveals his truth
Superman: Heroes #1 (April 2020) — “It’s me.”
Ultimate X-Men #63 (November 2005)

Texts include:

Genesis 12:1 — “Lech Lecha”
Genesis 17:5 — Avram becomes Avraham
Genesis 32:29 — Jacob becomes Israel
Exodus 3:4 — “Hineini”
Mah Tovu — Jacob’s tents
Exodus 18:19 — Yitro and Moses
Ruth 1:16 — “Wherever you go, I will go with you”

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!

How Can We Serve God with the Works of Our Hands?

[This post originally appeared on ReformJudaism.org]

This week, as we begin the Book of Leviticus with Parashat Vayikra, 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.
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, Taanit 2a:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 (Pirkei Avot 5:6) to Bezalel leading the Israelites in the building of the desert Mishkan (Ex. 35), to the commandment of hiddur mitzvah, “beautifying the commandments.” In Midrash M’chilta d’ Rabbi Ishmael,it says:

“I shall glorify God in the way I perform mitzvot. I shall prepare a beautiful lulav, beautiful sukkah, beautiful tzitzit, and beautiful tefillin.” (Shirata, 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” (Shabbat 133b).

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 tzedakah, emet and shalom.

"Altar Flame" and "Altar Smoke"
[click to enlarge]

 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 parashah: attempts to find meaning in superseded ritual practices.

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.

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.

Super Heroes, Holy Land: "Altar Flame" and "Altar Smoke"

These are two of the pieces in my current show, "Super Heroes, Holy Land!" now showing at UCLA Hillel's Dortort Gallery in Los Angeles – on the left is "Altar Flame" and on the right, "Altar Smoke." The originals each measure 24" x 36", though 20" x 30" prints are available in my online store.

Details on each are below – if you want to see them in person, check out the show: open through April 21 (extended!) at UCLA Hillel's Dortort Gallery in Los Angeles, at 574 Hilgard Avenue; call 310-208-3081 for hours or click here for details.

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Altar Flame
24" x 36"
Mixed media
2013

The eternal flame on the altar was a symbol of God’s continuing presence with the Jewish people, and people from across the land would journey to Jerusalem during the three festivals — as these sacrifices could only be fulfilled in this one spot. The presence of this flame and the sacrifices that were made on the altar were a very physical process that we have since replaced with the work of our minds and the recitation of words, hence the inclusion of parts of the Life Science Library volume titled, The Mind.

Includes:

• 300 #2 (Jun 1998)
• 5 Days to Die #2 and #5 (Sep 2010)
• Automatic Kafka #2 (Oct 2002) and #3 (Nov 2002)
• Avengers vs. X-Men #1 (Jun 2012)
• The Infinite Horizon #6 (Nov 2011)
• Paradise X #8 (Feb 2003)
• Ten Grand #3 (Jul 2013)
• Wonder Woman #44 (Jul 1990)
• X-Infernus #1 (Feb 2009)
• X-Men #199 (Nov 1985) 
• Life Science Library: The Mind. Ed. by John Rowan Wilson. Time-Life Books, Virginia (1980).

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Altar Smoke
24" x 36"
Mixed media
2013

The smoke rising from the altar at the Temple’s Holy of Holies was the physical remnant of communicating with God in ancient times – it was evidence that we had engaged with the Eternal. The smoke would bring sweet smells up to the very anthropomorphized God that could only be addressed in this way, in this particular spot. The smoke represents the direct line of communication with God; Jerusalem is still considered the place with that direct connection to God.

Includes:

• Astonishing X-Men #26 (Oct 2008)
• Automatic Kafka #1 (Sep 2002) and #4 (Dec 2002)
• Batman: The Black Glove (2008)
• The Infinite Horizon #4 (Apr 2009) and #6 (Nov 2011)
• Judenhass (2008)
• Marvels: Eye of the Camera #1 (Feb 2009)
• The Mighty Thor #399 (Jan 1989)
• The New Mutants #27 (May 1985)
• ROM #31 (Jun 1982)
• Superman #77 (Mar 1993) and #18 (May 2013)
• X-Men Legacy #246 (May 2011) 
• The World of Ancient Israel. David Meilsheim. Tudor Publishing Company, New York (1973).

Join me this Sunday for "Sacred Words, Sacred Texts" opening reception

Please join me this Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles from two to five p.m. for the opening reception of “Sacred Words, Sacred Texts” – an exhibition in collaboration with American Jewish University,
USC Hillel and Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion/LA.

It's a group show featuring artists from around the world, and I am pleased to have 12 papercuts included, many on loan from local collectors.

The reception starts at 2 pm at Hebrew Union College (3077 University Avenue, Los Angeles – 213 749 3424) and at some point wanders down to the USC site for dessert.

For details, visit the Facebook invitation page – and please "like" my fan page to get regular updates in your Facebook feed.

The exhibition runs through mid-December 2013.

"Sacred Words, Sacred Texts" features twelve B2 papercuts; please join me at the reception.

Please join me in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 13, from two to five pm, for the opening reception of “Sacred Words, Sacred Texts” – an exhibition in collaboration with American Jewish University,
USC Hillel and Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion/LA.

I am pleased to have 12 papercuts included in this exciting exhibition, many on loan from local collectors.

The reception starts at 2 pm at Hebrew Union College (3077 University Avenue, Los Angeles – 213 749 3424) and at some point wanders down to the USC site for dessert.

For details, visit the Facebook invitation page – and please "like" my fan page to get regular updates in your Facebook feed.

The exhibition runs through mid-December 2013.

Little Green

"Little Green" is a papercut I created for the annual gala (this Saturday, June 1) at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, which supports their day school, early childhood center, and religious school. I've been friends with their cantor, Yonah Kliger, since junior high – and when he asked for a piece to support their gala, I was glad to make something special for him.

"Little Green" is an exploration of the story of the Burning Bush, which the Torah tells us burns but was not consumed – represented here by the swatch of living green at the center of the bush. The sharp, jagged flames are a reflection of the clear, sharp voice of God speaking to Moses from the bush, and the light it casts is so bright as to make the sky appear dark as night.

It measures 6" x 8" but is in a fancy frame I selected for it that takes it to 17" x 22".

Burning Bush, Open Door

I just received a copy of Open Deur, a Netherlands magazine which is featuring my "Burning Bush: Flame On" papercut in their May issue. I can't read it, but I see the name "Mozes." There is a lot of fire and flame and heat in this issue.

Plus, now I know how to write the name of this papercut in Dutch: "Brandende struik: ga door met vlammen."

Art and tacos!

Join me this Wednesday for art and tacos at Brave New World Comics!

"Fantastic Exodus" showing in Northern California

"Fantastic Exodus" is one of the new works in my one-man show at the Peninsula JCC in Foster City, California. I'll be leading a gallery tour and making a brief presentation this Sunday, February 10; visit the PJCC website for details on the show or to reserve your spot.

In this papercut, the members of the Fantastic Four (from left to right: Reed, Ben, Johnny, and Sue) represent the four elements (water, earth, fire and air) and four of the elements of Israel’s journey from slavery to freedom (crossing the Sea of Reeds, gathering at Sinai, and being protected by the pillar of fire by night and pillar of cloud by day). As usual, the work is backed with cut-up comics representing these characters and themes:

• Fantastic Four #15 (Jun 1963), 17 (Aug 1963), 21 (Dec 1963), 23 (Feb 1964), 248 (Nov 1982), 265 (Apr 1984), Annual #18 (1984), 282 (Sep 1985), 286 (Jan 1986), 290 (May 1986), 296 (Nov 1986), 297 (Dec 1986), 305 (Aug 1987), 314 (May 1988), 544 (May 2009), 587 (Mar 2011)
• Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure #1 – Apr 2008
• Fantastic Four: Flesh and Stone – 2000
• Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four #34 – May 2008
• The Last Fantastic Four Story #1 – Oct 2007
• Fantastic Four 2099 #6 – Jun 1996
• Fantastic Five: The Final Doom #1-5 – 2007
• The Thing vol. 1 #22 – Apr 1985
• The Thing vol. 2 #2 – Feb 2006, 7 – Jul 2006
• Hulk and Thing: Hard Knocks #1 – Nov 2004
• Ultimate Fantastic Four #3 – Mar 2004, 5 – May 2004, 10 – Oct 2004, 42 – Jul 2007

Getting Ready for September Show

My next show opens Sunday, September 9, at the Osher Marin JCC in San Rafael, California — and I'm cutting and cutting and cutting these days, finishing up work. Here's a detail from a piece I just completed titled "Shamayim"; it'll be at the show, and I hope you will be as well.

New ark doors at Adath Jeshrun feature "Burning Bush: Flame On"

As you can see in the image above, the design of the new ark doors at Congregation Adath Jeshrun in Louisville, Kentucky, is based on my recently completed papercut, "Burning Bush: Flame On."

The doors were made by Todd Deetsch of Interior FX, Inc.; he adapted the design into a three-color application in cooler colors, having been directed by the congregation to avoid warmer colors.

Inspired by the first chapter of the book of Shemot (aka Exodus) in the Torah, in the papercut I tried to convey the sense of wonder and awe that Moses felt upon encountering the Burning Bush in the desert and hearing God's voice speak to him from its midst. The background is made up of cut-up comics (including quite a few variations on the Human Torch, from the Fantastic Four), but also a bit of a Chumash that was destined for the genizah. And of course, just to the right above center the eponymous words, "Flame on!"

Todd tells me that the gold colored lead is Dutch metal, and that he used both standard gilding and a "broken gilding" technique to create the different values of gold. The blue-colored leaf is actually real silver leaf that is hand-dipped into an acrylic resin, and the silver-colored leaf is actually aluminum, also done in a "broken gilding" technique. You can see the colors nicely in this detail of one of the doors:

The papercut will be on display (and available for purchase) at my upcoming show this fall in Northern California; I'll have details here on my blog later this summer.

"Burning Bush: Flame On" now showing in Memphis

I've mentioned that the show I have going on now in Memphis includes more pieces that just the "Paper Tefillah" series; here's one of the other papercuts on exhibition there right now. It's part of my "paper midrash" work, and this one is called "Burning Bush: Flame On."

Inspired by the first chapter of the book of Shemot (aka Exodus) in the Torah, it's another attempt to convey the sense of wonder and awe that Moses felt upon encountering the Burning Bush in the desert and hearing God's voice speak to him from its midst. This is a story I keep returning to in my work; as I try to understand the role and presence of the Divine in our lives, this is one of those moments that continues to intrigue me.

The background is made up of cut-up comics (including quite a few variations on the Human Torch, from the Fantastic Four), but also a bit of a Chumash that was destined for the genizah. You can see a hint of green in the upper reaches, as we are told that although the bush was on fire, it was not consumed. And of course, just to the right above center the eponymous words, "Flame on!"

It's available for sale, by the way -- the original and archival prints; let me know if you're interested by dropping me an email.

Teaser from the cutting table: "One master of all the earth"

The speech bubble reads, "Soon there will be one God -- one master of all the earth!" Can you guess which prayer it represents?

Hag Hanukkah Sameach from Nice Jewish Artist

Here's wishing you all a Happy Hanukkah! This is a shot of a Hanukkah papercut from a few years back -- taken in my house, in the frame, so forgive the shoddy repro quality (I think you can see my hands holding the camera in the reflection!). The Hebrew reads, "Nes Gadol Haya Sham" (a great miracle happened there).

See what's on exhibit at The Finegood Gallery

Right now I'm showing four pieces in a group show at The Finegood Gallery of the West Valley Jewish Community Center (West Hills, California) -- click the image above to see a larger version (but go see the show, open through October 17, to see them as they were intended to be enjoyed):

The Finegood Gallery
WVJCC
22622 Vanowen Street
West Hills, California
818 464 3218

Pillars of Cloud and Firein local fundraiser auction

This Sunday (June 6) Temple Ahavat Shalom in Northridge (California) is having its annual benefit gala, which includes a fundraiser auction. Two of my papercuts will be available for bidding: "Pillar of Cloud" and "Pillar of Fire." They are both works in paper and acrylic on canvas, measuring 11" x 14". They are mounted above the canvas, so the interplay between form and shadow is more pronounced, and they've been professionally framed in deep frames.

More information on the gala is available on the TAS website here.

Burning Bush(Paper Midrash)

Last week I finished up this "Burning Bush." I've used comics textures sparingly here, and tried to build some real heat in the center of the bush. The flame burns, but does not consume.

Now I just need to get these photographed better -- it's harder to convey the impact of the papers and colors on film (at least, for me).