Eastside Arts Society presents CREATE! Eastside Arts Festival July 22-28. (photo by Wendy D)
Eastside Arts Society (EAS) presents the fourth edition of its newly expanded, immersive summer arts event, CREATE! Eastside Arts Festival, at various Eastside Arts District (EAD) venues from July 22-28, in addition to its traditional all-day outdoor festivities at Strathcona Park July 27.
“We are thrilled to see the evolution of the CREATE! Eastside Arts Festival into a true, district-wide event that illuminates all that the EAD has to offer,” said Esther Rausenberg, artistic and executive director of EAS, who is a member of the Jewish community.
The festival will offer affordable ticketed art workshops and performances at pop-up locations. Community highlights include CREATE! pop-up art workshops at Off the Rail Brewing, Luppolo Brewing and Strange Fellows Brewing from July 22-26 and studio art workshops at 1000 Parker Street Studios, the Mergatroid Building and the Arts Factory on July 28; Canadian musical artist Paul Pigat at the Firehall Arts Centre on July 25; singer-songwriter Art Bergmann at the Rickshaw Theatre on July 26; a roving piano and dance performance from Mascall Dance on July 26; live mural painting by Eastside Culture Crawl co-founder Richard Tetrault at East 4th Avenue and Ontario Street from July 22-26; and more.
On July 27, the festival returns for a full day of festivities at Strathcona Park, with a series of outdoor art-making workshops taught by EAD artists, including weaving, summer florals, introduction to flamenco (all abilities), crochet, charcoal drawing, and a BIPOC expressive art workshop.
For the first time this year, CREATE! will partner with 604 Records and Light Organ Records to present a live music concert stage at Strathcona Park (July 27, 2-6 p.m.), featuring homegrown artists Haleluya Hailu, Fur Trade (Steven Bays and Parker Bosley from Hot Hot Heat) and Sarah Jane Scouten.
A free all-ages CREATE! Festival Concert pass will also include access to the festival’s Art Zone, featuring public art activities, beer garden, food trucks and Art Shop, sponsored by the Strathcona BIA. CREATE! Art Zone public art activities will include zine making; planting flowers and painting your own pot to keep; and cyanotype, a photographic printing process activated by the sun.
A curated selection of local handmade artworks and goods will be available at the Festival Art Shop, and visitors can enjoy a fully licensed beer garden, serving beer, cider and wine from Strange Fellows Brewing, as well as an assortment of food from food trucks including Camion Café, Midnight Joe’s and Varinicey Pakoras.
Also on July 27, participants in Eastside Arts Society’s 9th annual Art! Bike! Beer! Crawl Brewery Tour Fundraiser will end their day of cycling/walking and imbibing at the CREATE! Art Zone. All fundraiser proceeds will benefit the Eastside Arts Society’s yearly activities and community events.
Art workshops are $35 for youth/adults and $20 for flamenco and children’s workshops. Children under the age of 12 must be supervised by an adult. The general public can access festival activities with a free CREATE! Festival Concert pass, sponsored by the Strathcona BIA. For full festival details and ticket info, visit createartsfestival.ca.
Brian Gleckman in front of his work, “The Judgment of Solomon (Psak Din: Judgment).” Psak din is a ruling given by a beit din, a Jewish court. (photo by Olga Livshin)
Brian Gleckman’s first show at the Zack Gallery, Abstracted Identity, opened on June 18.
The artist has loved art since childhood. “I grew up in Los Angeles,” he said in an interview with the Jewish Independent. “It is a vibrant city for visual arts. There are an endless number of art galleries and museums, and I was always there. And, of course, I always drew and painted.”
After getting his degree in visual art and history from California State University, Gleckman traveled extensively around Europe, before settling in Vancouver more than 30 years ago. But traveling has remained his passion and, during his travels, he invariably focuses on art and art history, museums and galleries.
“When I first visited Europe, I fell in love with Rococo and Baroque,” he said. Baroque and Rococo are both highly ornamental styles, which infused the art and architecture of post-Renaissance Europe.
Later, he drifted towards more contemporary styles, both as an art connoisseur and in his own work. “I suppose I can call my art abstract expressionism,” he said.
“Colour for me is a vehicle that allows me to play with shapes and space,” Gleckman explained. “Spatial relationships and composition of the images are of the utmost importance to me. I’m also concerned with depth and texture. I aim to create visual tension in my paintings. I think art shouldn’t be too easy or too comfortable. I want my viewers to engage, to ask questions. ‘What did he mean by that?’ ‘How does it make me feel?’ My viewers might not arrive at the same inner realization I conceived, but their explorations are more important than my answers. When people interact with my art, they become part of the creation process.”
With his current show, Gleckman seeks to “portray things that lie beyond the tangible – that is, beyond the figurative, beyond the readily recognized narrative. The paintings in this exhibit are expressions of the inspiration I derive from biblical stories, religious thought, as well as rudimentary ideas within kabbalah. Selected from the portfolios of my professional artwork, these paintings are reflections of how I personalize the intangibles of Judaism.… These paintings are abstractions of my Jewish identity, an identity that is the product not so much of formal religious practice but the summative effect of intellectual and emotional sensibilities of my Jewishness.”
Of course, the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, which is home to the Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery, felt like the perfect venue for such a show, but there was an additional reason why Gleckman wanted to exhibit at the Zack.
“After Oct. 7, I wanted to do something that had meaning,” he said. “I wanted to share my pride in my Jewish identity. At the same time, I wanted to be part of the effort to help Israel, to make my own contribution. But I am an artist. I create art. I thought maybe my art could inspire someone to do something for Israel, to help in some way.”
He approached the gallery with the idea of a show and offered to donate any proceeds from the sales of his paintings.
“I’m going to donate whatever I get to two organizations: ASI-Canada (Association for the Soldiers of Israel), which supports active-duty IDF soldiers, and Magen David Adom, which is Israel’s emergency response service. To promote the sales, I’m also offering 30% discount off my website prices for all my paintings.”
The exhibit comprises 27 paintings from several of Gleckman’s established series. “For this exhibition, I have included paintings that are accompanied by titles … for fuller comprehension,” he said.
“The titles invite viewers to search for and reflect on the nuances of their own understanding of the selected stories, themes and ideas,” the artist explained. “I’m not trying to dictate my own interpretations to viewers. Instead, with the titles, I try to nudge viewers in the right direction. The titles are sort of guidelines for understanding the images, their conceptual representation.”
“Yerushalayim (Jerusalem)” by Brian Gleckman. The Hebrew words in the painting are from Psalm 137: “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget … if I do not bring up Jerusalem at the beginning of my joy.”
Most of the titles are in Hebrew, spelled phonetically in the English alphabet. Some are in English, but they represent Jewish customs and stories. For example, the large painting “Tikkun Olam” is a field of life-affirming blue, while “Shiva” is bleak and dark, a painting of grief and despair, but both will generate different feelings for everyone.
A few other paintings are linked to grief and death, but many sport bright colors, like “Aytz Chaim” – blue and gold and triumphant – which proclaims the artist’s vision of the Tree of Life. The painting, tall and narrow, is framed by golden words.
Another tall and narrow painting, “Tefillah” (a prayer), contains this one word in Hebrew, as well as 10 bright gold stars dancing on the blue background below, representing a minyan, the quorum of 10 men (in Orthodox Judaism) or people needed for Jewish communal prayers.
Another painting with words and colours woven together is “Yerushalayim.” Its golden-brown palette is reminiscent of the ancient city of Jerusalem, its modernity and its millennia of history, including conflict.
Then there are calligraphed Hebrew letters, each magnified manifold on its own black and white canvas. “Their shapes are still recognizable,” said Gleckman, “but I wanted to explore the possibilities, the situation where something we know becomes something else, something to investigate and find a new meaning.” Each of these letter-paintings is like a road, curling capriciously according to the letter’s design, leading the viewers towards the unknown.
Abstracted Identity runs until July 18. To learn more, visit the artist’s website, briangleckman.com.
Olga Livshinis a Vancouver freelance writer. She can be reached at [email protected].
The Beth Israel Mural Project goes beyond the synagogue’s parkade, with a website that features each artwork, as well as information about the holiday depicted, and more. (screenshot)
Windows into the synagogue, windows into Judaism. The Beth Israel Mural Project features 13 works of art, each based on a Jewish holiday. Adorning the shul’s parkade, they welcome visitors.
“During COVID, Sy Brown started the Good Times Club at the BI. The goal was to bring in new programming into the shul for the over-50 crowd,” explained project manager Reisa Schwartzman. “We have had blood drives, book clubs and walking clubs. I came up with the idea to do a mural in the garage.
“At first, the idea was to do one large mural. The challenge was that there are parking signs that could not be removed so it motivated us to think out of the box a bit. The smaller framed murals allowed it to have the effect of being windows into the shul.
Ramona Josephson was the lead artist on one of the two murals portraying Shabbat. (photo from Beth Israel Mural Project)
“The next steps were to call out to the congregation to see who would like to participate. At this time, all meetings were held on Zoom due to COVID. Once the committee had the members, we then went out to the congregation – we wanted the entire membership to feel included, to see what they wanted to see in the garage. The overwhelming feedback was the holidays.”
Volunteers were assigned a holiday and the committee helped with each image. “This is when the real work began,” said Schwartzman. “But, up to this point between COVID and summer holidays, it was two years.
“With Peter Sarganis, an amazing artist himself but also an art teacher, he guided us on the steps required to take our wonderful images through the multiple steps to get each image on the boards. Once the boards were ready to go, we met each Sunday afternoon for painting for several months. There were committed painters who would come in during the week to work as well. This was a labour of love! The energy in the room when we were painting was fabulous. Focused artists and painters working together to bring these works to fruition.”
Sarganis answered the callout to members because, he said, “As an artist, I thought it would be a creative way to combine my love of Judaism, the Beth Israel Synagogue, collaboration and painting.”
Sarganis became the project’s art director and a lead artist and designer of one of the two Shabbat works.
“I love Shabbat. From Friday evening family dinners; to Shabbat morning services; to the candles, wine, challah and artifacts used – I can simply say I love it,” Sarganis said of his choice of holiday to portray. “The Shabbat panel I designed and painted is an abstracted representation of our family’s candle holders, Kiddush cup and challah cover.”
About the project, he said, “We had a wide range of expertise, from those who don’t paint at all to those who paint a lot. The common thread that kept us going and made this a beautiful group to be a part of was everyone’s passion for the project.
“As a professional artist and someone who has taught at a fine arts school for the past 29 years, it seemed the role of me becoming art director happened organically, it was not something that was there at the start of the project,” he added. “This included helping the designers of the panels with their designs, bringing in tools and equipment to help facilitate the transferring of the designs onto the large panels, advising the groups of painters on the painting process and/or techniques, figuring out (with Reisa) the placement of the panels in the parkade.”
“I really believe that we can beautify the most simple areas to make them more impactful,” said Schwartzman. “Having these windows in the garage makes the experience of going to the BI start right from parking your car. But we didn’t stop there. Krystine McInnes came up with the idea that we should add QR codes to each image so that people could open their phones and learn more about each holiday, the customs and history. We hope we can use these to fight antisemitism as well, or just to help educate. We decided to paint on boards rather than the wall itself so, if needed, we could have them traveling.
“One thing different about our art is that none of the pieces are signed. This was with the commitment that the works were collective, designed and inspired by several artists and painted by the community we built. It is a community effort for our shul.”
While the lead artists aren’t indicated on the murals in the garage, they are credited on the project’s website, bethisraelartproject.com: Beryl Israel (Purim and Tu b’Shevat), Sheila Romalis (Hanukkah), Ramona Josephson (Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot and Shabbat), Debby Koffman (Simchat Torah), Janice Masur (Shavuot), Luca Carati (Yom Hashoah and Yom Yerushalayim), Nassa Selwyn (Pesach and Yom Kippur) and Adele Lewin (Simchat Torah). In addition to the QR code integration, McInnes designed the project website, which features information on the holidays, their history and customs from several sources, including work done by Jean Gerber and Jonathan Berkowitz and a dozen orso websites.
The paint was donated by Benjamin Moore Paint and the boards and framing by Burton Mouldings, said Esther Moses, Beth Israel executive director. Ralph (z’l) and Elaine Schwartzman donated to help make the project possible, she said.
“My parents believe in supporting our community and have always been supporters of several Jewish agencies here and abroad,” explained Schwartzman. “Once they heard about what I wanted to do, my mom called the shul and made a donation to make sure we could complete the project. Supporting the shul, the arts, community and engagement for people are all reasons they stepped forward.”
Beryl Israel was the lead artist on the Tu b’Shevat mural. (photo from Beth Israel Mural Project)
“I am so proud of Beth Israel and our members who worked on the murals. They are strikingly beautiful,” said Rabbi Jonathan Infeld, the synagogue’s senior spiritual leader. “They bring light to our congregation and are a great educational tool. They brought people together for an important common cause. The murals are another way that we help bring Jews closer to God, Torah and Israel at Beth Israel.”
While he helped, for example, with the Hebrew on one of the works, Infeld admitted, “I am involved in many different aspects and programs of the synagogue, this is one that I did not play a large role in though. Yes, I helped with some of the Jewish content. But anyone who knows my artistic abilities knows why I left this project to others to accomplish.”
The project – which took a total of three years from conception to installation – “was a great way to add colour to our parkade in a meaningful and Jewish way,” said the rabbi. “The murals are educational and exceptionally beautiful. But, most importantly, they created community amongst people of all ages.”
Overall, it has been a huge success, he said. “People love seeing [the murals] when they enter the parkade. They love looking at them and learning from them. I know that the participants loved making them.”
“This project was really a labour of love by all who participated,” agreed Schwartzman. “Peter was incredibly supportive with his knowledge and guidance. There were so many amazing artists that we all learned from each other, helped each other and celebrated together. We really hope that these images bring the shul much enjoyment and support them in any of their programming when possible.”
“This project took a lot of time and work – and was worth every moment,” said Sarganis. “I met some wonderful people, and got to know people I already knew even better. A beautiful community project.”
Dina Goldstein stands in front of two of the 10 works that comprise her In the Dollhouse series featuring Barbie and Ken.(photo from Dina Goldstein)
Dina Goldstein had her work pulled from a Vancouver exhibition just days before it was set to open – in what she has described as “a blatant act of antisemitism.” But the gallery is claiming its decision to cut the Israeli-Canadian artist from the show was based on financial considerations, despite a recent news report and documentation from Goldstein that suggest there may have been other reasons.
An internationally acclaimed artist, Goldstein was scheduled to have her works shown at the Vancouver Centre of International Contemporary Art (CICA) from May 9 to June 29 as part of a group exhibition titled Toy Story, a look at the world of toys as seen through the eyes of artists from around the world. Goldstein, who received widespread attention for her Fallen Princesses and In the Dollhouse series of tableaux, was listed as recently as late April on the CICA website among the artists whose works would appear in the exhibit.
According to a report on Stir, a Vancouver website covering art news, Goldstein was notified by the gallery’s curator, Viahsta Yuan, on April 30 that her works – three pieces from the 10-image In the Dollhouse series – would not be shown during the exhibition. (Goldstein earlier had arranged for the gallery to pick them up on May 2.)
Regarding her agreement with CICA after a studio visit by the curator on April 26, Goldstein said, two large pieces and two medium pieces were confirmed, available at the studio, framed and ready to be installed.
“One medium piece had to be produced because it is a diptych with a missing partner. This she requested I get going on. The other selections would be printed in small format. I was waiting to hear about the production of the small version. [The curator] wanted to show all 10 images if possible,” Goldstein said.
But then, in Goldstein’s account, which was sent to the CJN, Yuan disclosed to her that the gallery had received an email from a small group of Vancouver artists who wanted her excluded because she supported Israel. The unnamed artists, in Goldstein’s words, felt that she did not deserve to exhibit her work during this time of war. Goldstein was offered an alternate solo exhibition within a year or two, or when the situation in Israel and Gaza might subside.
Yuan had, as Goldstein recalled, agreed that punishing an artist because of their Jewish identity was unjustifiable. Goldstein asked the curator to relay this message to the gallery committee, as well as the importance of standing up to discrimination. When she reached out to Yuan for an update on her meeting with the gallery committee, Goldstein received an email that cited, as she says, “a sudden budgetary issue as the reason for her removal. This explanation contradicted the previous acknowledgment of discrimination, with the decision now framed as a last-minute ‘creative choice.’”
“This experience takes me back to the times we may have had in our youth and being bullied. This is part of what antisemitism feels like,” Goldstein told the CJN, noting that the works in question have nothing to do with Gaza or Israel.
Goldstein, too, recounted that, unlike most people associated with the exhibition, she had been to Gaza and the West Bank while on an assignment in 1999, photographing Palestinians alongside her pictures from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. She has shared those memories on Instagram in recent months.
In the Dollhouse, which was created by Goldstein in 2012, features a pink, adult-size dollhouse in which Barbie and Ken reside. The series offers satirical situations around the house, sometimes with a risqué approach to social commentary. Notes about the images on Goldstein’s website say that, in them, Barbie represents the notion that beauty is the ultimate trait and is necessary “to attain power and happiness.” Meanwhile, Ken discovers and expresses his true self after four decades of being “trapped in an imposed marriage.”
In the invitation to participate in the exhibition, CICA wrote that Goldstein’s dollhouse series “offers an intricate exploration of identity, conventional values, gender equality and beauty. The inclusion will not only enrich the depth of the exhibition but also provide viewers with a fresh and unique reflection on the toy that has influenced a generation of people.
“We believe that the inclusion of In the Dollhouse will offer a unique perspective and contribute significantly to the exhibition’s dialogue on the transformative power of toys as symbols within our lives.”
In Yuan’s version of events, as reported by Stir, after consultation with others at the gallery, CICA had originally selected five pieces from the series. After visiting Goldstein’s studio, she said only three of the pieces were ready.
Yuan then had another discussion with the gallery committee, and it was decided that CICA did not have the budget for production costs. Further, another artist was showing a piece about a dollhouse, and the gallery believed showing two works in dollhouses would be excessive.
CICA released a statement on May 4 in which it denied its decision to pull Goldstein’s work from the exhibition was based on “religious and cultural affiliation” but rather was related to financial considerations. Works by two other artists, Roby Dwi Antono and Aya Takano, CICA said, were also removed from the lineup. The organization emphasized its desire “to cultivate artistic dialogue and community engagement while emphasizing inclusivity and representation.”
“As a woman and BIPOC-led organization, prioritizing diversity is not just a goal but a guiding principle that informs every aspect of our work,” the statement from CICA read. “Since our inception, we have been dedicated to showcase a pluralistic range of contemporary art and ideas through our multidisciplinary exhibitions and programming.
“We are grateful to have collaborated with a distinguished group of over 35 local and international artists, with more than two-thirds from visible minority backgrounds. These cross-cultural collaborations are a testament to our commitment to platforming diversity while fostering a safe and accessible environment for all.”
CICA stressed that, like many nonprofit arts organizations, it faced budgetary constraints and, with limited resources, it needed to make difficult decisions. As a result, three artists were not shown because of limited finances, a short time frame and “curatorial direction.”
The cultural and religious background of an artist would never warrant exclusion from the gallery, CICA went on to say, and that decisions were made only on artistic merit and how a work would fit into an exhibition.
“Discrimination of any kind has no place within our organization, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to platforming
diversity and ensuring equitable representation in everything we do. Looking ahead, we will continue to embed the values of equity, inclusion and diversity into every facet of our operations,” CICA said.
Established in 2021, CICA is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary arts organization. According to its website, it provides “a forum for everyone to step into the art and learn while having fun” and aims “to enhance public engagement in the arts and bridge local and international artists for idea exchange, knowledge sharing, and collaboration.”
Sam Margolishas written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC. This article was originally published on thecjn.ca.
The Options Israeli music cover band closes the Festival of Israeli Culture on May 26. (photo from the JCC)
This year’s Festival of Israeli Culture takes place May 21-26, with the main event at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver the afternoon of Lag b’Omer, May 26.
Falling on the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer, between the second night of Passover and Shavuot 49 days later, Lag b’Omer is a celebration amid tragedy. It commemorates the end of a plague that is said to have killed 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef’s students during the Bar Kochba rebellion against the Roman Empire in the second century. Only five students survived, one of whom was Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the sage who wrote the Zohar, among other things. Jewish tradition states that, after Rabbi Shimon offered his last kabbalist teaching, he died, on Lag b’Omer, having requested that his death not be mourned. For Rabbi Shimon, death means a soul has taken its place with God.
Among the traditions of Lag b’Omer are bonfires (perhaps in remembrance of fires the Bar Kochba rebels lit to relay messages), weddings, a boy’s first haircut, singing and dancing.
“I felt that it is so sensitive to be celebrating when there is such a complex and sad situation going on in Israel,” Nomi Zysblat, organizer of the annual JCC festival this year, told the Independent. “But, after researching the meaning of Lag b’Omer, I really see it as our community coming together with our individual sparks of light, a way of staying together, of communicating, a collective medura [bonfire or campfire] of strength and warmth.”
This year’s festival will be on the quieter side.
“We thought about this a lot,” said Zysblat. “Is it OK to ‘celebrate’? Is it safe? After many conversations, we decided that we need a gathering, we need to feel safe, we need to remember and we also need to be proud. We aren’t having a huge event, it’s going to be slightly more intimate … more gatherings and community enjoyment rather than huge events, both for the general feeling and also for security reasons. We aren’t flaunting but are also still wanting to enjoy being together.”
On May 21, there will be a dance party, kibbutz-style, at the Anza Club (tickets, $15). The night will be hosted by DJ Guy Hajaj, who will showcase modern and alternative Israeli music.
“He’s had a show for 10 years on Israeli radio and also a popular music blog, among other things,” explained Zysblat. “He DJs at events in Israel throughout the year but has been based in Vancouver for six years.”
On May 23, Moshe Bonen performs a sing-along-style show with festival organizer Nomi Zysblat. (photo from the JCC)
On the afternoon of May 22, the JCC parking lot will become an arts space where kids/teens can participate in a collaborative mural project led by Zohar Hagbi, a local Israeli artist. And, on the evening of May 23, the JCC atrium will come alive with music in a sing-along-style show led by musician and former Israeli radio broadcaster Moshe Bonen with Zysblat (tickets, $10, include a glass of wine).
“I have a music degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston and used to write and perform my own folk/rock music back in the day,” said Zysblat. “But, my favourite thing in the world to do when I was living in New York was to go up to the Bronx to Moshe’s loft and sing while he played his grand piano. He is an amazing player and accompanist.”
Zysblat’s professional background is both in music management and in the food industry. She started her own company 12 years ago – Paletas, which makes and sells natural popsicles. She got the idea while living in New York, discovering the icy Mexican treat at a grocery store.
“After she brought the idea to the restaurant where she worked as a cook in Brooklyn and created unique desserts for the restaurant’s menu, she realized that it could be a lot of fun to make them in Israel,” it says on the company’s website. “Naomi went on a trip to Mexico to learn from local paleteros, their method and tradition, and get inspiration for special and different flavours, then came back and opened her small business here in Tel Aviv.”
“I was born in Jerusalem to Canadian-born parents – my dad was from Calgary and my mom is from Vancouver,” Zysblat told the Independent. “We grew up visiting our grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins every summer in Canada so it’s like a second home to me. I even spent a few sabbatical years my parents took here in Vancouver, and attended school here. I knew this was an experience I wanted for my kids as well and, after Oct. 7, realized there’s no better time to come here. My husband Adi always loved BC because he was a mountain biker and beer brewer, so it was a win-win.”
It’s not surprising then that a nature walk is also part of this year’s festival. On the morning of May 25 at Central Park in Burnaby, there will be a walk led by young community madrichim (leaders). The terrain is suitable for all ages and abilities. There will be songs, stories, snacks.
At the festival’s main event at the JCC on May 26, there will be food trucks (Planted and Meet2Eat), a marketplace (jewelry, glass work, flower arrangements, photography, home decor, Israeli popsicles and jachnun, a Yemenite Jewish pastry), DJ’ed Israeli music, Israeli dance shows (troops from across Metro Vancouver, including Or Atid youth dancers), a drum circle, wine-tasting, arts and crafts, a gaga pit, face-painting, and dance, art and hummus workshops. In the Zack Gallery, the Tikun Olam Community Art Installation is already on display. The day closes with a performance by the Options, a group of local Israelis who cover Israeli rock and other songs.
Lindsey Tyne Johnson has a new show at the Zack Gallery: The Irish Mazzaroth & Hebrew Spelled Backwards. It comprises two separate parts.
Hebrew Spelled Backwards debuted at the Kamloops Art Gallery in 2023. It is a series of illustrations in which the artist explores her Jewish heritage.
“When the show finished in Kamloops, the Zack Gallery director contacted me,” Johnson told the Independent. “But the show had only seven pieces, and the Zack Gallery is large. It needed more art.”
At about the same time, Johnson decided to delve deeper into her ethnic roots. “My mother’s family were Irish Jews,” she said. “Not a usual combination. I went to Ireland in February 2024 to find out more.”
She was fascinated by what she discovered. “Jews appeared in Ireland in the 1500s,” she shared. “Later, antisemitism forced many of them to leave, but they came back again. Then, there was a wave of Jews who came to Ireland and Northern Ireland from Russia in the beginning of the 20th century – they were escaping pogroms. Someone tricked them, sold them tickets to New York, but delivered them to Ireland instead and kicked them off the ship there. Some persisted in traveling to America, but others settled in Ireland. And then, there were the Jewish children escaping the Holocaust in Europe, Ireland took them in.”
When Johnson visited the Irish Jewish Museum in Dublin, she found a number of her ancestors. “Their names were all written up in the Book of Irish Jewry there,” she explained. “The museum staff asked me if I wanted my name to be added to the new edition of the book. Of course, I said yes.”
The second part of the show, Irish Mazzaroth, started taking shape in her mind while she was in Ireland. The 12 black and white illustrations on the gallery walls reflect Johnson’s take on the zodiac’s traditional imagery. Mazzaroth means constellations in Hebrew.
Both Jewish and Irish lore have a long record of zodiac interpretations, from Greco-Roman mythology to the Zodiac Wheel, the centrepiece of the sixth-century mosaic at Beit Alpha in Israel.
“Virgo” by Lindsey Tyne Johnson, part of Johnson’s solo exhibit at the Zack Gallery until May 9.
Johnson, a young Canadian artist, has succeeded in meshing seamlessly Celtic symbolism and Jewish mysticism into a series of computer illustrations that are uniquely hers.
“I started the first one in January. I finished the last one just before the show,” she said. “Each one is a well-known astrological sign, and each involves some aspects of both Jewish and Irish culture.”
Every illustration is a whimsical little story, a playful tale that connects all earth cultures to one another. The images are clean and austere, uncluttered by unnecessary details. The twin girls in Gemini smile at the viewer. In front of them are Shabbat candles and a challah. Behind them, a leafy tree rises in the Irish countryside. Their quiet joy is unmistakable.
On the other hand, the lone girl in Scorpio is solemnly considering the riches of ancient books in the famous Old Library in Trinity College in Dublin. She seems breathless with excitement at the abundance of choices in front of her, her braid curling up defiantly like a scorpion’s tail. The Jewish thirst for knowledge is given form in the context of the historical Irish library.
In another famous location in Dublin, the Temple Bar pub, Johnson features, in Virgo, an Irish Jewish woman playing a fiddle, merging lively Jewish klezmer and Celtic tunes.
“Leo” by Lindsey Tyne Johnson.
In Leo, the backdrop is grimmer. It depicts the Crumlin Road Gaol, hinting at the political strife in Ireland, while the man in front reminds us of the story of Daniel and the lions. “One of my distant relatives worked as a prison guard there,” Johnson said.
The frames of every illustration are identical: a rounded rectangle of Celtic knots, tied together at the top by a Magen David, which also emphasizes the affinity of two cultures.
The Irish Mazzaroth & Hebrew Spelled Backwards is on display at the Zack Gallery until May 9. To read more about Johnson and Hebrew Spelled Backwards, go to jewishindependent.ca/artfully-exploring-heritage.
Olga Livshinis a Vancouver freelance writer. She can be reached at [email protected].
Alex Greenberg’s family experience drove his work for the Dallas Holocaust Museum. (photo from Alex Greenberg)
It was a winding road for Alex Greenberg to become head of animation at a leading creative technology firm in Vancouver.
Born in Moldova, Greenberg and his family made aliyah in 1990, when he was 11 years old. After a “pretty regular childhood” in Israel, high school graduation, military service and a bit of travel around the world, Greenberg settled down to study animation.
“Unfortunately, two months into school, the director of the school took the money and split,” he said. “My luck. All the money was gone, the money I got from my [military] service.”
He started looking for schools in Canada and the United States where he could continue his studies. He discovered the Art Institute of Vancouver and moved here, by himself, in 2003.
Fast-forward … Greenberg is immersed in immersive technology. As head of animation for ngx Interactive, he has his finger in many projects – including one that shares the testimonies of Holocaust survivors and which, of everything he has worked on, is closest to his heart.
Founded more than two decades ago in Vancouver, ngx’s 80 or so employees, according to the company’s website, help clients “reimagine what’s possible in physical and digital spaces.”
“We work with four main sectors,” said Greenberg.
The museum sector is a big one. The company took part in a major re-envisioning of the National Portrait Gallery in London, UK. It reopened last year featuring 41 multimedia exhibits, including an artificial intelligence-powered portrait experience, an animated projection wall featuring some of the gallery’s most stunning portraits, interactive touch screens, and documentary films produced by ngx.
The medical sector is another area and, if you have ever taken your kids or grandkids to BC Children’s Hospital, you may have seen the interactive aquarium ngx developed for the emergency room so that young patients and their families have something to take their minds off the stressful reasons for their visit.
A third area is themed attractions, which have engaged audiences in such diverse spaces as Vancouver’s Science World, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, Jurassic World in Beijing and the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai.
Their corporate and institutional work, another core area for ngx, includes an interpretive exhibition in the pharmaceutical sciences building at the University of British Columbia, where visitors explore the world of health, and a project for Roche Canada, in the Toronto area, where the global pharmaceutical company has an interactive space for employees to engage with the Roche brand story.
Other projects help visitors explore cultural institutions like the Citadel Heritage Centre in Halifax, Indigenous cultural storytelling at Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatoon, and interpretive exhibits about nature at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota.
Greenberg’s specific role in ngx projects is lighting and look development.
“When you are working on a project, there’s a certain style to it, lighting, a certain mood, something that will convey the story,” he said. “We don’t just create these experiences to make them look cool. There’s a lot of thought that is being put behind them, thinking about the colours and thinking about the movement and [in the case of the BC Children’s Hospital virtual aquarium] how kids are going to interact with it to help them relax.”
In his seven years with the company, one project stands out among the rest for Greenberg.
Visitors to the Dallas Holocaust Museum, in Texas, enter a room that transforms into a home in eastern Europe at the start of the Holocaust. Survivors share their testimonies as the home becomes no longer a refuge but a backdrop for the projection of scenes of atrocities. Then the screen rises and a holographic version of a survivor engages with the audience.
Hundreds of hours of interviews with survivors using 360-degree cameras allow for the realistic perspective of meeting these individuals in person. The project, called Dimensions in Testimony and developed in partnership with Steven Spielberg’s USC Shoah Foundation, introduces school groups and other museum visitors to a different survivor and their experiences each week of the year.
Visitors to the Dallas Holocaust Museum, in Texas, can interact with holographic versions of survivors. (photo from Dallas Holocaust Museum)
Hundreds of hours of interviews with survivors using 360-degree cameras allow for the realistic perspective of meeting these individuals in person. (photo from Dallas Holocaust Museum)
“This was one of the most impactful projects that I ever worked on,” Greenberg said. “You feel like you’re sitting in their living room. As you hear the story, the room begins to change. Lights going off, you hear marching of the boots outside, the rooms become slowly, almost unnoticeably dilapidated, just to show that the people were driven out of their homes and these homes are left with nothing but memories and a few photographs.
“After that introduction, the screen goes up and there’s a hologram production of that survivor. That’s the technology that the USC [Shoah] Foundation has developed. You can ask a question – for example, ‘What was your favourite sport when you were little?’ – and that would trigger a story where the survivor will be talking about where he used to play soccer with his friends when they were little.”
The project was close to home for Greenberg, whose grandfather lost his entire family in the Shoah.
“There was a big part of me in that experience,” said Greenberg. “I can tell and I can educate other people, people that are coming to this museum and people around the world that still don’t know what the Holocaust is, don’t know what a genocide is. It’s almost like I was telling my story.”
For Dan Russek, art abounds in urban settings, whether it be in the form of manhole covers, bike racks or other items and scenes that city dwellers regularly encounter. Spurred by an early love of photography, he has been surveying cityscapes with an eye for “public art that goes beyond the gallery.”
University of Victoria professor Dan Russek, author of Exercises in Urban Mysticism: Practical Poetry and other books. (photo from Dan Russek)
A professor in the department of Hispanic and Italian studies at the University of Victoria, Russek is the author of Exercises in Urban Mysticism: Practical Poetry, a 2020 book – written in Spanish, with the title Ejercicios de mística urbana: Poesía práctica, and published in Mexico – that explores the poetry of everyday life.
“One way I look at it is that I take the idea of modern art seriously,” Russek told the Independent. “When you see a painting by Jackson Pollock, you may understand its place in the history of art. But what Pollock is showing is a kind of texture, composition and movement that you can find outside of the gallery walls, appealing to a certain sensibility that takes you beyond the museum.”
Russek was intrigued by the 1996 book Manhole Covers, written by Mimi and Robert Melnick and published by MIT Press. It delved into how an object many consider ordinary can provide a record of the history of a city and, some would argue, be deserving of a spot in contemporary urban culture; in other words, seeing a utilitarian object as an “urban sculpture.”
Russek devoted a lot of space in his illustrated book to manhole covers, bike racks, various geometric structures and a variety of textures. Art, as he views it, extends far beyond the confines of canvas or paper. Indeed, by his admission, one of his favourite spots to be is on construction sites, especially in a place like Mexico City, where there are few restrictions for getting inside.
“You take something in itself that may not appear to be too interesting, but, when you look at it in a certain way, it becomes interesting. Or, to quote Gustav Flaubert, ‘Anything becomes interesting if you look at it long enough,’” Russek said.
As an example of this, Russek gives the work of American photographer Edward Weston in the 1920s and 1930s. As Russek describes it, in one image, Weston takes a simple green pepper and turns it into something “astounding.” The same can be done for bike racks and many other urban and industrial artifacts, he said.
Russek, who was born in Mexico, remembers being surrounded by relatives who were passionate about photography.
“As a kid, we would make an album while on a vacation. Each trip yielded an album, as did life events, weddings, bar mitzvahs,” he said. “Life was documented. It gave me a model. I began taking pictures in high school, and I realized I was interested in abstraction.”
Over the years, walking through the streets of cities like Chicago, Mexico City and Buenos Aires, Russek has been struck by many aspects of street art, including graffiti, another form of public art that is found beyond the gallery. In fact, some graffiti, he said, is as valuable as the art one finds in a museum.
“I wish I had my camera with me all the time. The reflections of light in the afternoon over the pavement, it’s phenomenal. The light making reflections on the water from a gutter – life is full of these interesting moments. Bringing the camera is a good thing because I don’t have to look for anything, the world sends it to me,” he said.
Russek completed a PhD in comparative literature at the University of Chicago, specializing in modern and contemporary Latin American literature and visual arts. His fields of research include the links between literature and the visual arts and media, urban studies and esthetics. He has explored the relations between modern technology, culture and literature, and centres on the notion of epiphany and the phenomenon of light. His first book, Textual Exposures: Photography in Twentieth Century Spanish American Narrative Fiction, was published in 2015 by University of Calgary Press.
Some of Russek’s next plans involve going beyond the printed page. He wants to make videos, as the medium “allows you to do more stuff, with music and the matching of images, that you cannot do in a book.” He also writes poetry (sonnets in particular) because, for one reason, “you can take an object or an emotion and write a poem about it and elevate it to a new level of importance.”
Argentine writer Julio Cortázar is an example Russek cites of an artist reaching beyond the confines of a particular medium, an approach that is multifaceted or experimental. In one work, Último Round (Last Round), Cortázar created an almanac-style book filled with articles, poems, essays and illustrations.
Aside from teaching and writing, Russek is the coordinator of the Latin American and Spanish Film Week, now in its 14th year, held in the fall at UVic’s Cinecenta. He is also the president of the Hispanic Film Society of Victoria.
Sam Margolishas written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.
Lisa Wolfin, executive director and founder of Art Vancouver International Art Fair, which is at the Vancouver Convention Centre East April 11-14. (photo from Art Vancouver)
“Art serves as a vital anchor amidst the chaos of the world, both as a creator and a viewer,” said Lisa Wolfin, executive director and founder of Art Vancouver International Art Fair, which returns to the Vancouver Convention Centre East April 11-14.
“As a creator, it offers a therapeutic outlet to process complex emotions, providing a medium through which to express, reflect and make sense of the turbulence surrounding us,” she told the Independent, saying that, no matter the form of artistic expression, she finds solace in the act of creation, in addition to beauty and meaning.
“As a viewer,” she said, “art serves as a sanctuary, offering moments of escape and contemplation. It provides a lens through which to interpret and understand the world, offering insights, perspectives and opportunities for introspection. In both roles, art becomes a source of comfort, inspiration and resilience, offering a sense of connection and grounding amidst the uncertainty of our times.”
Wolfin and her daughters, Taisha Teal and Sky Lilah, who are also part of the Art Vancouver team, are among the Jewish community members participating in the annual art fair that drew more than 11,000 attendees last year. This April’s event is the eighth edition of the exhibit, which includes workshops, live demonstrations, a range of conversations, and is an opportunity for creatives to network and collaborate.
Wolfin is most looking forward to the sense of community and connection that Art Vancouver brings. “I’m eager to be a part of that vibrant atmosphere once again,” she said.
Taisha Teal (photo from Art Vancouver)
Teal echoes that sentiment.
“I’m particularly excited about showcasing my art to a diverse audience of art enthusiasts and collectors,” said Teal. “Connecting with fellow artists, sharing insights and drawing inspiration from their work is another aspect I’m looking forward to. This event also provides a unique opportunity to engage with artists and galleries from around the world…. Moreover, I’m eager to receive feedback from attendees and potential buyers, which will contribute to my growth as an artist and refine my artistic practice.”
Lilah is looking forward to two main things: what she will create for the exhibit – “it is always a surprise,” she said – and, she shared, “Additionally, there’s immense enthusiasm surrounding hosting the opening night! Welcoming everyone to Art Vancouver is a true privilege, and having a significant role at the show is an honour.”
Art Vancouver, which was established in 2015, has been held annually, with the exception of the first two years of COVID.
“During the pandemic, I dedicated time to exploring new artistic styles,” said Teal. “Over the past couple of years, I’ve blended several styles together, continually evolving my approach. For instance, my ‘sparkle ladies’ series has undergone transformations with each passing year, featuring diverse female figures and introducing abstract faces. I particularly enjoy experimenting with abstract shapes and colours, and my upcoming collection will focus on incorporating textured elements using molding paste and various tools.”
Sky Lilah (photo from Art Vancouver)
Following the pandemic, Lilah curated her inaugural solo art exhibition, unveiling a series of abstracts for the first time. “Instead of merely attempting to depict something, I sought to channel the divine through my creative process, crafting unique works of art that had never been realized before – pieces that were distinctly mine,” she said.
“Over the years, I’ve persisted in exploring abstract styles, seamlessly blending them with my previous series,” she added. “I’m currently amalgamating elements from several series, combining the favourite aspects of each into a cohesive whole. While I continually experiment with new styles, I often layer them upon the foundations of styles with which I am familiar – an ongoing ebb and flow of artistic exploration.”
Wolfin, too, has spent time developing and refining her existing style and techniques, while venturing into different areas. “This has allowed me to push the boundaries of my creativity and explore new avenues of expression,” she said, noting that her work is inspired by many sources, “including nature, emotions, personal experiences.”
“I find inspiration in the beauty of the natural world, the complexities of human emotions and the stories of people and cultures,” said Wolfin. “Each of these influences shapes my creative process and fuels my desire to express myself through art.”
Teal also has a deep love for nature – “Whether it’s the patterns in a leaf, the colours of a sunset or the textures of a rock formation, nature constantly offers fresh ideas and motifs that find their way into my artwork” – and points to multiple sources of creativity.
“Firstly, the diverse cultures, landscapes and experiences I encounter during my travels serve as a constant wellspring of inspiration,” said Teal. “Each new destination offers unique perspectives, colours, textures and stories that influence my artistic vision.
“Secondly, connecting with other artists allows me to exchange ideas, techniques and perspectives, fueling my creativity and pushing me to explore new artistic territories. Collaboration and dialogue with fellow creatives foster a sense of community and shared creativity that invigorates my artistic practice.”
“A Thousand Expressions” by Taisha Teal.
Teal added that her “passion for experimentation with new materials adds another dimension.”
“Exploring unconventional materials and techniques challenges me to think outside the box and pushes the boundaries of my artistic expression,” she said.
“Art serves as a profound means of expression for me,” said Teal. “As a creator, it allows me to channel my emotions and immerse myself completely in the process. I infuse my art with love and happiness, aiming to evoke those feelings in my viewers. In a world filled with chaos, art becomes my sanctuary, a place where I find solace and peace. My intention as an artist is to spark positive emotions and inspire others with each brushstroke, inviting viewers to explore their own creativity and embrace the beauty within themselves.”
For Lilah, art embodies her very existence. “I’ve never known a life without it,” she said. “It serves as a means of creative expression, a harmonizing force for the diverse aspects of my personality and an invitation to embrace play, structure, freedom, love and acceptance.
A portrait by Sky Lilah. (photo from Art Vancouver)
“Through art, I learn valuable skills and life lessons, such as time management (as artistic endeavours require dedication), self-love (recognizing that my efforts are ‘good enough’) and the importance of experimentation. It teaches me that we don’t know the result before it happens, and that you have to start in order to get to the end. For my work, I rarely know what I’m going to paint before I start painting, I discover it on the canvas, and that is a life lesson for my role in business as well – when hosting a new event, I won’t have all the answers before. I simply just need to start.”
Transformations in her life and the “opportunity to explore diverse cultures, languages and symbols sparks a fire of creativity,” Lilah said, adding that she tries, in her art, to “communicate a message that embodies inner strength, love, exploration, confidence, authenticity and kindness,” creating works “in an abstract, pop art manner to challenge mainstream thinking.”
Art Vancouver opens April 11, 7 p.m., and runs April 12, 1-9 p.m.; April 13, noon-9 p.m.; and April 14, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit artvancouver.net.
Mordechai Edel beside the personalized ketubah he created for A.J. and Olena Steigman; A.J. is a chess champion and Olena is a classical pianist. (photo from Mordechai Edel)
Vancouver artist Mordechai Edel is one of a handful of people in Canada who make ketubot (singular: ketubah), the standard contract for traditional Jewish marriages, which have been used for millennia.
“I was trained as an impressionist artist, from which I developed the philosophic concept of ‘impression-mystic’ art,” Edel told the Independent. “Hopefully, this contributes in a small way to ‘marrying’ wedding contracts with art and harmonizing the opposites of heaven and earth, chiaroscuro [the use of strong contrasts of dark and light], fire and water.”
While the central theme of a ketubah is constant – an obligation on the part of the groom to provide for his bride – their designs can vary immensely, and each one designed by Edel tells, in its way, a separate story. He has been creating ketubot for 40 years.
“I often incorporate a stylized menorah symbol, which reflects the potential marriage of all humanity uniting together under G-d’s joyous chuppah canopy of shalom [peace and wholeness],” he said.
A kosher ketubah requires precision and documentation, especially regarding Hebrew names, marriage location and dates. Ketubot are usually written in Aramaic, in calligraphic style, and halachic (Jewish legal) requirements allow little room for embellishment.
“Not much fun there,” said Edel of the creative possibilities. “However, ‘the fun’ may begin with the surrounding artwork. That’s when personal requests start to kick in. I am often requested to incorporate ‘painted stories,’ illustrating romantic memories of how a couple first met.”
In the past several years, Edel has received numerous ketubah requests from local rabbis, including a “standard house model” developed with Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt of Congregation Schara Tzedeck.
“Occasionally, some people do still enjoy elaborate weddings, which tend to generate requests for more personalized, sometimes eccentric artwork,” said Edel.
Depending on the couple’s budget, the creative detail of a personalized ketubah can vary substantially, from minimal artwork to the most elaborate designs, he said.
Edel can take several weeks to paint a personalized ketubah, although sometimes it can “just click” and he can finish one in two to three weeks. Ideally, couples planning on getting married would contact him as soon as possible, to give him as much time as possible.
Often, he said, the biggest challenge is to receive accurate place, name, date and time information. Sephardi ketubot do not permit any erasures, whereas Ashkenazi halachah (Jewish law) allows changes before the contract is signed and validated by two kosher witnesses, he explained.
Edel shared an experience that happened during a Sephardi wedding in the mid-2000s. He had painted a calla lily ketubah for a couple that had met in Acapulco, replete with a romantic sunset and a ship setting sail for Jerusalem in the background.
“Guess what? The night before the marriage, the rabbi checked the ketubah and there was one letter, ‘vov,’ missing in the Hebrew spelling of Vancouver. I was told it was invalid, it could not be rectified and was void,” Edel recalled.
The solution, Edel found, was to physically cut out the contract part, leaving the surrounding artwork, forming a window. He then spent the entire night rewriting the document, which he then inserted, forming a two-part ketubah.
“This negative-into-positive transformation has become a trademark blessing that I now incorporate into all commissioned ketubot,” said Edel. “And, in case of a last-minute error or wine spill, all ketubot come with a duplicate backup document.”
Along the way, Edel has received some unique ketubah requests. One couple, who had encountered a skunk on their first date in Stanley Park, asked that the scene be recreated in the marriage contract.
“I had difficulty finding a stinky model who would sit still,” Edel recalled. “That turned out to be a most scentimental ketubah.”
Another couple commissioned a grandiose, oil-on-canvas ketubah to fit over their fireplace. At the wedding ceremony, the three-foot-by-five-foot ketubah was carried into the sanctuary. The audience stood up and, according to Edel, let out an enormous communal “wow!”
Some of the more exceptional commissions Edel has seen have come from far afield. He recently completed a request that arrived “out of nowhere” from American businessman and professional chess player A.J. Steigman and his bride Olena, a classical pianist. They got married at the Western Wall (Kotel) in Israel and the ketubah features the groom (chatan) playing chess on a Vermeer-style chessboard with the bride (kalla) playing a Shostakovich concerto, all in the foreground of the Kotel.
Edel has also refurbished ketubot. In one instance, he was commissioned by the son-in-law of longstanding Schara Tzedeck members to “enhance” their original 1948 marriage certificate for their 50th anniversary. He created a ketubah “with memories of leaving the shtetl in sepia tones, transported into modern times via heaven’s kohanic [priestly] blessings, and embellished with a gorgeous bouquet of their favourite, fragrant rose flowers.”
One of Edel’s ketubot, “Le Picnique,” began as a painting commissioned by the late Joe and Rosalie Segal to be viewed by residents and staff at the Louis Brier Home and Hospital. “It later developed into a ketubah as a joyous tribute to this wonderful, caring couple,” said Edel.
Edel is grateful for the many blessings he has received in life, and gives special thanks to his wife, Annie, who helps design the ketubot.
“It is humbly interesting to note that the surname Edel means fine and noble, whereas a play on words of Mordechai suggests the French amour de chai or love of life,” Edel said. “It is this joyous love of life partnership that characterizes our ketubot and relationship between G-d, bride and groom and artist.”
For more information about Edel’s art and his ketubot, visit edelartworks.com.
Sam Margolishas written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.
