Alias Man Ray: The Art of Reinvention
November 15, 2009 - March 14, 2010
Alias Man Ray presents a fresh look at the diversity of Man Ray's body of work, examining it in the context of his lifelong cover-up of his Russian-Jewish immigrant past and his suppression of his background. The project marks the first time that his willful construction of an artistic persona is explored and demonstrates how this personal agenda informs his work and methods.
Reinventing Ritual: Contemporary Art and Design for Jewish Life
September 13, 2009 - February 07, 2010
Reinventing Ritual is the first international exhibition to survey Jewish ritual as a vital site of experimentation in contemporary art and design since the 1990s. Nearly sixty groundbreaking works in diverse media, from jewelry to video to architecture, by 58 leading artists reveal the intersections of creative freedom and ethical practice.
They Called Me Mayer July: Painted Memories of a Jewish Childhood in Poland Before the Holocaust
May 10, 2009 - October 01, 2009
They Called Me Mayer July presents over 80 paintings and drawings by Mayer Kirshenblatt vividly chronicling life in Opatów, Poland (Apt in Yiddish) in the 1920s and early 30s. Kirshenblatt left for Canada in 1934 and taught himself to paint at age 73 so he could share his memories of the vibrant Jewish world found in the Poland of his youth.
Reclaimed: Paintings from the Collection of Jacques Goudstikker
March 15, 2009 - August 02, 2009
This exhibition presents rarely-seen Old Master paintings collected by Jacques Goudstikker, a prominent Jewish art dealer in Amsterdam prior to World War II. In 1940, Goudstikker was forced to flee war-torn Europe. His gallery, which contained approximately 1,400 works of art, was looted by the Nazis. Recently his family reclaimed 200 paintings from the Dutch government; the finest of these works will be on view in this exhibition.
Chagall and the Artists of the Russian Jewish Theater, 1919-1949
November 09, 2008 - March 22, 2009
Through paintings, costume and set designs, posters, photographs, film clips and theater ephemera this exhibition brings to light an exhilarating but fleeting moment in the cultural history of the Soviet Union when innovative visual artists joined forces with avant-garde playwrights, actors, and theatrical producers.
The Dead Sea Scrolls: Mysteries of the Ancient World
September 21, 2008 - January 04, 2009
In 1947, a significant discovery of ancient Jewish texts was made in a cave near the Dead Sea. These and other Dead Sea Scrolls found later have shed light on the major transformations and debates that occurred in ancient worship during the first centuries BCE and CE, that contributed to the development of early Judaism and Christianity. This exhibition will present six Dead Sea Scrolls complemented by objects excavated from the site near where they were found. Three of the scrolls have never been exhibited, including a portion of one of the three earliest copies of the Hebrew Bibles in existence, and three others have never been shown in New York.
Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940-1976
May 04, 2008 - September 21, 2008
A fresh look at the painting and sculpture that transformed the art world in the years after World War II. Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940-1976 features over fifty key works of postwar art, revealing the cultural and intellectual framework of Abstract Expressionism, the movements that followed it, and popular culture's fascination with the art and artists of the period.
March 16, 2008 - March 27, 2008
Off the Wall: Artists at Work is a two-week open studio project featuring 11 artists working and performing in the galleries. Representing a new generation with strong Jewish social networks or a familiarity with Jewish rituals and symbols, artists will create a work-in-progress and exhibit other work in various media including fashion, music, performance art, video and new technologies. Events include concerts, salons, a runway show, and a Purim party.
From The New Yorker to Shrek: The Art of William Steig
November 04, 2007 - March 16, 2008
William Steig was a brilliant cartoonist for The New Yorker and an award-winning, beloved author of children's books, including Shrek! and Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. This exhibition delves into every phase of Steig's prolific career, which spanned eight decades.
Camille Pissarro: Impressions of City and Country
September 16, 2007 - February 03, 2008
Camille Pissarro was among the preeminent French Impressionists. Nearly 50 paintings and works on paper--including rarely-seen masterworks--explore his interest in the urban environment and rural countryside outside Paris where he lived and worked.
The Sculpture of Louise Nevelson: Constructing a Legend
May 05, 2007 - September 16, 2007
Louise Nevelson, a towering figure in 20th century American art, continues to inspire artists today through her pioneering installations and sculptures made of found wood. This exhibition, the first major survey of Nevelson's work since 1980, includes 66 sculptures, works on paper, and two room-size masterworks.
Dateline Israel: New Photography and Video Art
March 10, 2007 - August 05, 2007
Life in Israel provides inspiration for 23 artists in this wide-ranging exhibition.
Light x Eight: The Hanukkah Project
November 25, 2006 - February 04, 2007
In celebration of Hanukkah, this exhibition will explore how eight contemporary artists use the transformative properties of light to create luminous, magnificent visual objects and spaces.
Frida Kahlo's Intimate Family Portrait
September 05, 2003 - January 04, 2004
Based on a schematic family tree, My Grandparents, My Parents and I provides a direct visual expression of Kahlo's genealogical identity.
Entertaining America: Jews, Movies, and Broadcasting
February 21, 2003 - September 14, 2003
Over the past century, the various connections between American Jews and the nation's entertainment media have generated a discussion that has been extensive, passionate, and, at times, contentious.