In the Beginning There Was Abstraction
It may be a miracle: A biblically themed exhibit has opened in Brooklyn without any mention of Adam and Eve. This month the new “Genesis” exhibit opened at the Hadas Gallery in Fort Greene. The absence of the imagistic leaf-clad duo on the white walls of the intimate space was a welcomed departure from typical portrayals of the lofty and iconic religious book.
A Rave Grows in Brooklyn
It is safe to wager that New York City has seen it all when an art rave fashion show spirals into an impromptu hora on an open, desolate warehouse block. These men’s dancing feet may have been inspired by a sudden spiritual impulse to be closer to God. But the sudden shakedown also could have been a reaction to the recent display of Jewish girls strutting down a catwalk wearing little more than their grandfather’s tallis.
An Unexpected Paradise
The journey to paradise is not without its optical illusions. What is enchanting can be hollow, what seems trite may be the doorway to magnificence, and what does not appear worth understanding could contain all of the answers. When engaged in an active dialogue with the world, what was an arid wasteland can become a beautiful oasis.
A Window for the Ages on the Lower East Side
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was the Lower East Side’s Eldridge Street Synagogue — not the first time, and not the second time either. The synagogue, which was originally erected in 1887, has just announced the completion of a 24-year-long restoration process, with the installment of a 16-foot circular window, commissioned by the Museum at Eldridge Street, for the eastern wall of the historical building.
The Big Life of a Small Woman
Tearful laughter, raunchy story telling, and punchy witticisms are not the typical ingredients one expects to find in a tribute to a late literary legend. Then again, Grace Paley and ‘typical’ never met.
Chance Connections: How Eating With Strangers Is the New Art
As I walked into Nancy Hwang’s art-slathered loft on another tropical day in New York City, I reminded myself that the visit was strictly “no business.” Through a serendipitous, mysterious phone call, I had somehow landed myself a promise of homemade cake and coffee at an intimate birthday celebration among the close friends of an artist whose exhibit I had just left.
‘The Young Israelis’ Capture the Wisdom of the Old
There is nothing puerile about “The Young Israelis” exhibit, which opened on the Lower East Side of Manhattan on June 16. Curated by Lilly Wei at the Lesley Heller Workspace, the event showcases a new wave of cutting edge video artists in their 20s and 30s who have cultivated an innovative language through the imagistic narratives of cinematographic art.
'Hipsters and Hassids' Unite on Canvas
The hipster and Hasid communities go together like peanut butter and, well, gefilte fish. From the glaring cultural clashes, to the battle of the bicycles, the chosen people and their artsy, gaunt neighbors have not exactly achieved a harmonious blend over the years.
