With Every Turn of the Maze

"With Every Turn of the Maze" Ketubah (click to enlarge)

Noah and Molly were married in a labyrinth on Bainbridge Island in Washington — and their ketubah places the couple and their vows between two curving paths reminiscent of that labyrinth. The labyrinth was designed and built by Jeffrey Bale, and is made of large and small stones in various configurations; the papercut ketubah was created by Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik and mirrors those configurations, but rather than stones it is made of cut-up comic books and an old book about puzzles and games.

hotos of the Jeffrey Bale labyrinth on Bainbridge Island

Imagine the various items peeking through the openings of the papercut as “things in a bag,” gathered together to mark their marriage (a custom developed by Rachel Adler) — but later, by the artist. They are representations of Noah and Molly as a couple but also as individuals who have chosen to pursue a path together. Within the paths of the papercut labyrinth are mazes, toys, books, numbers, words and phrases — all with meanings (some more obscure than others) that embody their journey to marriage as well as their continuing journeys.

Detail from ketubah (click to enlarge)

The comic books that make up this ketubah feature heroes that represent the couple, notably John Constantine and Wonder Woman. The places they’ve been, the things they’ve done... all within. Many of the comics used feature weddings, and the words “I love you” in a small heart-shaped stone at the bottom come from a June 2017 issue of Jessica Jones.

Detail from ketubah (click to enlarge)

And after deciphering the myriad elements included in the ketubah, there’s one more puzzle: the artist has provided all of the cut-out paper pieces in a jar for Noah and Molly, should they ever want to attempt to put them together in their original arrangement.

The ketubah includes:

Batman #50 (Sep 2018) – wedding issue
Claws #2 (Nov 2006)
Fairest #10 (Feb 2013)
Hellblazer #10 (Oct 1988), #103 (Jul 1996), #231 (Jun 2007), #275 (Mar 2011) – wedding issue, #22 (Apr 2015)
Jessica Jones #7 (Jun 2017) – “I love you”
Luke Cage, Power Man #17 (Feb 1973) – Stan Lee’s Soapbox with “vow”
Marvel Rising: Omega (Nov 2018) – pinball cover
Richie Rich Fortunes #37 (Nov 1977)
Runaways #15 (June 2006)
Star Wars #39 (Sep 1980)
The Thing #2 (Feb 2006), #8 (Aug 2006) – bar mitzvah issue
Walt Disney Chip ’N’ Dale #30 (1974)
X-Men #51 (Aug 2012) – wedding issue
X-Statix #23 (Jul 2004)

Kavanah – Captain America and the Flash Under the Hupah

Congratulations and mazal tov to the newest Jewish family – Captain America and the Flash! Or, Hillel Smith and Joshua Matz – whose rings include the symbols of those heroes. I'm proud to share with you that I was commissioned to create their wedding contract, and I'm excited to share it with you here.


It's driven by the concept of kavanah — intention. It’s a reflection of how Hillel and Joshua feel about themselves and each other; it’s about their choices about life, work, and their relationship — and how they relate to the world around them. It’s made with the tools and ritual objects of their trades, and the ritual objects that unite you at your wedding. In the same way that Joshua (a lawyer) uses words and laws to fight for justice and Hillel (an artist) uses pigments and pixels to create beauty, so they take these rings and drink from a shared cup and stand under a hupah. Our tradition is about making intentional choices in who we are and how we lives our lives, and no moment exemplifies this more than the wedding – in front of family and friends, living your kavanah. Hillel and Joshua both invest so much in themselves and in each other and what they do: their passions, their intensity, their dedication... their ideas and words, and the actions that bring them to fruition.

Speech bubbles from the first mainstream comic book same-sex wedding
(and Kirby Krackle in the kiddush cup!)

The structure is meant to evoke the Art Deco feel of the Majestic Hotel, where they got married, in an abstracted hupah arrangement, incorporating the tools of their kavanah (actual and metaphorical): pencil and quill, scales, compass and calipers — as well as the ritual objects that will be a part of the wedding: the rings and the wine cup. The tools are all meant to apply to each of the grooms — pencils and quills are used to write words and draw pictures; compasses and calipers allow us to measure and to create, and so on.

The lower corners feature many of the places they have traveled together

The background includes cut-up maps featuring many of the places they’ve traveled to together, as a reminder that whatever place you are in, that’s your home: with each other. The hupah is a representation of that home, and your marriage is that home — wherever it may be. Hence the speech bubble reading “this is the place.”

Their papercut rings feature Captain America and Flash logos, just like in real life

The background comics include comics from Hillel and Joshua as well as the artist’s personal collection, particularly featuring Captain America and the Flash (in nod to their rings), the new Iceman series they’ve been reading together, a number of quotes from the first mainstream comics gay marriage in the Astonishing X-Men... and Spider-Man, Daredevil, Green Arrow, and so on.

Comics used include:

Captain America #322 (Oct 1986), #600 (Aug 2009)
Captain America: Bicentennial Battles #1 (1976) – Jack Kirby oversize special
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #1 (Sep 1998)

Captain America and Iron Man #634 (Sep 2012)

Daredevil #501 (Dec 2009), #430 (Oct 2003), #17 (Sep 2015)

The Flash #10 (Jan 2017), #21 (Jun 2017)
Flash Annual #3 (1989)

Iceman #1 (Aug 2017), #2 (Sep 2017), #4 (Oct 2007), #5 (Nov 2017)
X-Men #92 (Sep 1999)
Astonishing X-Men #51 (Aug 2012) – first mainstream comic book same-sex wedding

Web of Spider-Man #126 (Jul 1995)
Spectacular Spider-Man #189 (Jun 1992)
Spider-Man #80 (May 1997)

Justice #2 (Dec 2005)
Green Arrow #2 (Sep 2016), #3 (Sep 2016)

You May Kiss the Groom – Both of You!

Mazal tov to Meir Bargeron and Jon Tam! I am so pleased to share with you the Bargeron-Tam ketubah, which I created for them — and they just signed it and got married this past weekend!

According to Kabbalah the four days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot are especially holy days, and excellent for a wedding — and Jon and Meir got married during that auspicious time. For that reason, their ketubah is a hupah and a sukkah. The sukkah has many parallels with the hupah, after all: both represent dwellings, and are places of peace and comfort. We invite guests to join us for both, and we celebrate with food and drink. The top of the ketubah is the sukkah’s lattice roof, filled with texts about marriage taken from comic books and the ketubah text.

The lattice incorporates texts from comic books and from traditional texts referenced in the ketubah text – here, from the book of Bereshit (Genesis).

Overflowing with promises!

Here's where the ketubah gets its name from – text from X-Men #51 (August 2012). Also, text from the book of Hosea, referenced in the ketubah text.

Grapes and pomegranates climb alongside the English text: symbols of joy and family, and a reference to the wine Meir and Jon share under the hupah.

The section in between the English and Hebrew texts is made of tea leaves, specifically those used to make dong ding oolong tea, which the couple had in a tea ceremony prior to entering into the hupah. Blazing beside the Hebrew is a havdalah candle with two wicks joining into one flame; this represents the Havdalah service Jon and Meir included as part of their wedding, and the colors are those of the silk hupah under which they make their vows. The candle is also a reference to these words from the Baal Shem Tov:

From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven, and when two souls that are destined to be together find each other, the streams of light flow together and a single brighter light goes forth from that united being.

The ketubah is made of cut-up comic books, in particular wedding-themed issues — and many pieces are from mainstream superhero comics’ first same-sex wedding, in Astonishing X-Men #51. Comics in the ketubah include:

• Astonishing X-Men #51 (August 2012) — wedding of Jean-Paul Beaubier (Northstar) and Kyle Jinadu
• The Justice League of America #121 (August 1975) — wedding of Adam and Alanna Strange
• The Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #2 (1983) — wedding of Val Armorr (Karate Kid) and Princess Projectra
• Superman: The Wedding Album #1 (December 1996) — wedding of Clark Kent (Superman) and Lois Lane
• Ultimate Comics X-Men #22 (April 2013)
• The Wedding of Deadpool #1 (March 2016)
• X-Men Legacy #255 (November 2011)

Home is a Road: the Greenwald-Hromadka Ketubah

Mazal tov to Adam and Anne! I was so honored that they asked me to make their ketubah, and my wife and I were so pleased to celebrate with them today as they became husband and wife.

The Greenwald–Hromadka ketubah is a labyrinth: an intertwined collection of paths with infinite choices, and the potential for serendipity and coincidence. A labyrinth is designed for discovery; wandering is the intent, and every path leads to the center. A labyrinth encourages you to walk slowly, to pause here and there, to experience the path instead of just focusing on a destination. In Bereshit we read about Jacob wandering and wrestling with an angel; afterward, he realizes that he has found holy ground. That’s Adam and Anne’s story: walking the multitude of paths until they met, realizing they had found something holy, and then wandering those paths together. For Adam and Anne, home is a road.

The ketubah text is surrounded by this labyrinth, built in a palette of blues, purples, and reds. These are the colors of the mishkan — the desert tabernacle constructed by Bezalel and the Jewish people during their desert wanderings; it was a focus for worship and a work of art in itself. These colors also reference grapes (for wine and joy) and pomegranates (for fertility and the mitzvot). The building of the mishkan is a wonderful metaphor for the couple, combining Adam’s commitment to serving the Jewish community through his rabbinate, and Anne’s drive to bring beauty to the world through creation and curation; accordingly, verses from Shemot/Exodus chapter 26 are incorporated into the labyrinth.

The colorful spaces surrounded by and created by the wandering paths are cut-up comic books representing Adam and Anne — their courtship, their couplehood, and the life they are planning together. Adam’s intelligence and focus are found in the characters of Professor X (leader of the X-Men) and Mr. Terrific (the third smartest man in the world), and his passion is seen in his namesake Adam Strange, who travels between worlds to be with the love of his life. Anne’s creativity and her gypsy and cajun roots are represented in Gypsy (a member of the Justice League of America) and Rogue (a member of the X-Men, whose real name is Anna Marie), and the power of her love is personified by Star Sapphire.

The ketubah is filled with speech bubbles that relate to the couple and their wedding, and glimpses of the superheroes that stand in for them; there are allusions to many of their stories, including references to Los Angeles — which Adam and Anne describe as a key player in their relationship.

The Greenwald–Hromadka ketubah is made of cut-up comic books; this is a partial listing:

• All-Star Superman #2 –Jan 2006
• Archie #1 – May 2016
• ETC #1 – 1989
• Green Lantern: New Guardians #15 – Feb 2003
• Justice League of America #121 – Aug 1975; #234 – Jan 1985; #39 – Jan 2010
• Justice Society of America #14 – May 2008
• Loki #1 – Dec 2010
• ODY-C #1 – Nov 2014
• Promethea #31 – Oct 2004
• Rogue #3 – Mar 1995; #4 – Apr 1995)
• Runaways #15 – Jun 2006; #16 – Jul 2006
• Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #15 – Apr 2007
• Strange Adventures #1 – May 2009; #2 – Jun 2009
• Superman: The Wedding Album #1 – Dec 1996
• Swamp Thing #63 – Aug 1987
• Tales of the Teen Titans #50 – Feb 1985
• The Wedding of Deadpool #1 – Mar 2016
• Ultimate X-Men #53 – Jan 2005
• Wonder Woman #23.2 – Nov 2013
• X-Factor #14 – Mar 1987
• X-Men ‘92 #1 – Aug 2015

#adamandanne2016

Thank you for a great 2015

Whew! It's been a great year, and I am so pleased to have shared it with you!

Workshops up and down the West Coast (including Congregation Kol Ami, Temple Beth Hillel, and  Temple Ahavat Shalom), the new windows at Maimonides Jewish Day School in Portland, my annual residency at URJ Camp Newman, commissions galore, an enormous ketubah featuring Adam Strange and Emma Frost, winning a juror's award in "Heroes & Villains" at the Smithsonian-affiliated Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center, the opening of my latest show "Women of Valor and Other Super Heroes" at National Council of Jewish Women/Los Angeles, participating in the Jerusalem Biennale, presenting "To Boldly Go" to William Shatner... and so much more! Too much to put in one graphic, in fact!

To paraphrase "Hamilton" – I'll see you on the other side of the year...

Walking Together: The Lutz-Goldin Ketubah

The complete, finished ketubah (36" x 36")

This weekend my wife and I attended the wedding of Adam Lutz and Emma Goldin — friends of ours whose ketubah I created — at Temple Emanu-el in San Francisco, officiated by the groom's father, Rabbi Barry Lutz. It's always a privilege and a pleasure to be involved in a simcha, especially for such a cute couple!

I titled their ketubah "Walking Together," and it tells the story of their courtship, incorporating cut-up comics, maps, and other ephemera to reflect their unique story and the love they have for each other. Adam and Emma wrote the text of the ketubah, which is surrounded by the words of Hosea 2:21–22 (of special significance to the couple).

Signing the ketubah

Adam and Emma fell in love in Israel during their first year as students at Hebrew Union College, so their ketubah takes the form of a map of Jerusalem, where they were living at the time. Their dates were walks through the city, particularly before Shabbat, going from Emma’s apartment near Damascus Gate to Machane Yehuda — and the structure of the piece mirrors these special moments, encouraging the eye to travel along the paper paths and take in the scenery.

After cutting the top layer I was almost tempted to stop and call it perfect already...

There are pieces of a 1996 National Geographic map of Jerusalem showing the western side of the city and the paths that lead to Hebrew Union College, and a comic book snippet of golden apples alluding to the food stalls at Machane Yehuda (an appreciation for fine food being a shared trait of the bride and groom as well).

Adam and Emma continued walking after they moved to New York, and their ketubah includes part of an antique map of the island as well as comic pieces showing elements of the familiar skyline. As their wedding was celebrated at Temple Emanu-El, in addition to the Golden Gate Bridge and other architectural elements from the city there is also part of a vintage De Beers Diamonds advertisement from 1945 featuring the synagogue.

The speech bubbles are from an X-Men comic; the image of Temple Emanu-El from a vintage De Beers ad.

Adam’s name is represented by Adam Strange, a DC hero known for being a passionate and faithful husband, and Emma’s by Emma Frost, a Marvel hero who is also a passionate and loving partner. Emma says that if Adam had super powers he would be most like Professor X of the X-Men, because of his intelligence, and so he is also included in the ketubah — and so is Mister Terrific, known as one of the smartest heroes in the world.

Professor X is a stand-in for Adam, passionately calling out to his bride.

Emma calls to her love just as passionately.

Adam says that Emma’s beautiful voice might have its parallel in the powers of Black Canary, Dazzler and Siryn, who use their voices to fight for right. Adam’s Hebrew name, Ze’ev, is alluded to by the presence of a hero named Jack Russell who takes the form of a werewolf (and was raised in the greater Los Angeles area), while Emma’s Hebrew name, Devorah, is alluded to in the black-and-yellow honeybee-like costume of Siryn. There’s even a panel in which Adam Strange meets Black Canary, from a 1975 issue of Justice League of America in which Adam (finally) gets married.

I bought a 1975 issue of Justice League of America because it featured Adam's wedding,
but it also had this surprisingly perfect panel I decided to incorporate.

There are numerous wedding details in the ketubah, including rings and declarations of love, and white roses as well, which Emma will carry on her wedding day. The observant viewer will also find references to the glass they broke under the hupah, and the wine that they shared there. And of course, a few pieces of their wedding invitation.

The background comics include:

• Action Comics #233 (November 2013)
• Adam Strange #1 (November 2004), #2 (December 2004)
• Astonishing X-Men #10 (May 2005), #14 (June 2006), #27 (November 2008), #36 (April 2011), #51 (August 2012) – rings and white roses, #62 (July 2013)
• Batman: The Dark Knight #4 (February 2012)
• Birds of Prey #16 (March 2013)
• Captain Atom #3 (January 2012)
• Daredevil #1 (May 2014) – New York skyline
• Dazzler #2 (April 1981)
• Dream Logic #4 (October 2011)
• Giant-Size Kung Fu Bible Stories #1 (July 2014)
• Giant-Size X-Men #3 (2005)
• Green Arrow #30 (April 2010) – Sing, Canary, Sing!
• Infinite Vacation #5 (January 2013)
• Justice League #33 (October 2014), #34 (December 2014)
• Justice League of America #121 (August 1975) – Adam’s wedding
• Max Ride #4 (June 2015)
• Mister Terrific #2 (December 2011) – Golden Gate Bridge
• ODY-C #1 (November 2014)
• Revival #16 (December 2013)
• Strange Adventures #1 (May 2009), #2 (June 2009)
• Superman #226 (April 2006), #23.3 (November 2013)
• Wolverine: Xisle #1 (June 2003)
• X-Factor #244 (November 2012)
• X-Force #16 (November 1992) – Siryn

Mazal tov!

Here's the happy couple signing their ketubah — mazal tov to Michael and Michael!

Latz-Simon Ketubah: Mt. Rainier, Victoria Falls, and Metzada

 

This week I finished my latest papercut ketubah, and I've just heard that the couple received it... so now I can share some pictures here on my blog!

As with all of my ketubot, I spent some time talking with the couple to get a sense of who they are and how to represent them at this time in their life together. They told me about their love of travel and their love of Israel, about where they've been and where they're going.

The entire ketubah is sheltered with a stylized hupah of the Seven Species, and under the text are three "heights" that represent their lives: Mt. Rainier (lower left), Victoria Falls in Rhodesia (lower right), and Metzada (directly under the text) -- you can see close-ups of the landscape images below. The backgrounds are composed of handmade textured papers, maps, some old science and nature books, and -- of course -- some comic books.

And what a great coincidence that this ketubah -- for two fine Jewish gentlemen -- should be completed the same week that President Barack Obama declared his support of marriage equality!

As always, click on any of the pix (above or below) to see them larger.

Lettering a ketubah

I'm at work lettering a ketubah right now, and thought I'd share a photo of my work table and tools. I always enjoy seeing another artist's workspace; I hope you enjoy seeing mine.

Toronto Flora Ketubah

The Toronto Flora Ketubah is complete and in the hands of the happy couple that commissioned it; here's how it came together.

The design of the ketubah is based on conversations with the couple, with abstracted imagery drawn from the time they spend together “by the lake up north” in Toronto.

At the top of the ketubah is the constellation of Orion, visible in the night sky at this time of year. On the left, golden stalks of Bebb’s Sedge mingle and rise. At the bottom is a patch of Wild Ginger, its heart-shaped leaves emphasizing the love between bride and groom.

On the right side a twining Woodbine, shown with its autumn burgundy-red coloring, wraps around a traditional romantic verse from Shir haShirim (The Song of Songs): “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li — I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” The verse is particularly appropriate, as its initial letters spell out “Elul,” the month of the wedding. Within the Woodbine, at each end of the verse, can be seen the “R” and “T” from the wedding invitation, while the sinuous winding lines evoke the invitation’s script.

Above the ketubah text is an initial cap of the Hebrew letter bet, contained within vines of River Bank Grape; it stands for the first word of the ketubah, and for the couple's last name — and of course, grapes are a traditional Jewish symbol of joy and celebration.

Toronto Flora Ketubah sneak peek

Couldn't resist sharing a little detail from the ketubah I finished cutting yesterday -- now I've got to add some color and get this to the happy couple in time for the wedding! I'll post some pix once it's delivered.

Wild Ginger

Here's a little abstraction of a patch of Wild Ginger -- part of the ketubah I'm working on right now. Very excited about this one, as I'm basing the papercut elements on flora from northern Toronto, to which the couple has a special attachment. Once it's delivered I'll post a photo and explanation of the whole thing.

Starkman Anniversary

In February 2008 I completed a ketubah for David Starkman and Samara Polansky. It reflects their desire for a contemporary feel and a non-standard shape. I based the elements and color scheme on the Torah portion from the week they were to be married, which detailed the building of the traveling Ark of the Covenant. I spelled out their Hebrew names, found quotes from the Torah that related to their biblical counterparts (David and Sarah), and voila:


This year David called me to do a related piece for their first anniversary -- which is, traditionally, celebrated with paper. This one is smaller, but you can see how the letters-on-patterns is carried through, as are the warm reds and burgundies of the ketubah; however, here the Hebrew word is "ahava" -- "love." And of course, some grape vines around the piece for joy and celebration.

The Cooper-Poster Ketubah

I couldn't be prouder of the ketubah I just completed for David Poster and Rebecca Cooper; it's the one I've been sharing details from here on the blog, and now I'm letting you see the whole thing (click on the pic to see it larger).

The overall look of the ketubah is based on a deco aesthetic, to reflect the feel of the Palais Royale, where they will celebrate their wedding; this can be seen in the decorative borders, the patterned style of the imagery, and the English calligraphy style.

The Torah portion from the week they were married is Parashat Bo, which describes the preparations our ancestors undertook in Egypt prior to the Exodus, which we now celebrate as Passover. Specifically, the mezuzah is discussed, and that is represented as an abstracted door frame around the ketubah, built out of traditional wedding verses from the book of Jeremiah: “It is still heard in the land of Judea, and in the street of Jerusalem: the sound of celebration and joy, the voice of the bride and groom.” This shape also represents the hupah under which they were married.

The main imagery is based on the seven species, described in the Torah, in the book of Deuteronomy: “A land of wheat, and barley, and vines; of fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and date honey.” This is a traditional Jewish motif, selected to illustrate David and Rebecca’s love of cooking together. The colors are warm and organic, reflecting the natural world.

Pomegranates and wheat!

Two more details from my recent "seven species" ketubah, completed in January -- pomegranate and wheat! The seven species are grapes, olives, wheat, barley, [date] honey, pomegranates, and figs -- all mentioned in D'varim (Deuteronomy) 8:8.

Grapes!

Another detail from my recent "seven species" ketubah -- some grapes on the vine.

B'ruchim ha-ba'im.

I've decided to start documenting my artwork with this blog -- just a small record of bits of pieces as I go about creating papercuts, paintings, and other art. Today: a detail from a ketubah I just completed that features a "seven species" motif; this is a palm tree, representing date honey.


All work on this site is copyright by Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik; see more at my website.