|
|
May 23, 2008
Communities unite with art
Recent event highlights the richness of Russian Jewish culture.
OLGA LIVSHIN
In commemoration of Israel's 60th birthday, as well as Mother's Day, the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and the Vancouver Jewish Russian Association organized a unique event aimed at bringing closer Jews from the former Soviet Union and Jews from the general Vancouver Jewish community. The occasion – officially a silent auction of paintings by Jewish artists from Russia – was, in reality, an evening of art, music and friendly mingling. It was called Follow Your Heart.
Karen James, one of the organizers of the May 11 event at the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture and the Combined Jewish Appeal vice-chair for community, said, "This evening has multiple goals. We want the Vancouver Jewish community to learn about the Russian Jews and their rich cultural traditions. And we want to introduce the Russian Jews to the rest of us."
David Berson, Federation's campaign director, added that it is essential to establish leadership among the Russian Jewish community. "We know that art is very important for the Jewish people from Russia," he said. "That's why we start this road to their greater integration and participation in the community with an art auction."
For the representatives of the Russian Jews, this evening meant even more. Boris Tabakman, who has been a volunteer for the CJA for several years and helped organize the auction, expressed the opinion that many Jewish people from Russia integrate very little or not at all with the Jewish community at large in Vancouver. He feels strongly that, while living under the communist regime, many Russian Jews lost their sense of national identity, their roots and traditions. From his point of view, he said, it's imperative that they reclaim their Jewish heritage, especially the younger generation, for whom it would be not as much a reclamation as a discovery that could connect them to their Jewish ancestry.
As in many events of this kind, the evening started with welcoming speeches, which were surprisingly few and short. One of the speakers, Judi Korbin, stressed that art has always been a crucial part of Jewish life and welcomed everyone to "the showcase of the world-class artists from our own community."
After the speeches, the vernissage and silent auction of paintings and jewelry went into full swing. Guests wandered the large hall on the second floor of the Peretz Centre, which was transformed into a gallery by the combined efforts of Tabakman and fellow organizers Anatoly Brusilovsky and Natalya Brusilovsky.
Fiddler David Rabinovich entertained visitors with brisk klezmer tunes and engaging classical melodies, causing smiles and foot tapping among the audience. Young dancers of the Fiesta Dancing Club performed their numbers on stage. Ten-year-old David Urist, dressed like a traditional Russian child, caused a stir, singing lively and mischievous songs, visibly enjoying his success as only a preteen could. His effervescent voice held the entire hall, full of educated, sophisticated adults, in thrall. After his performance, everyone burst into laughter and loud applause. Anatoly Brusilovsky played his silvery trumpet, thoughtful and lyrical, and Dasha Sekatcheva sang soulful songs, demonstrating the fantastic timbre and diapason of her rich soprano.
The festive mood of the occasion was reinforced by the food and drinks in the lobby. People circulated among the paintings with wine glasses in hand, discussing art and networking, gossiping about their families and their Russian connections. Berson's mother, Seemah Berson, was there, too. "Most of us, Canadian Jews, have some Russian background," she commented with a chuckle. "David's great-grandmother came from Russia."
But the main heroes of the evening were the artists. In the atmosphere of celebration, their paintings and jewelry were what had brought all the guests together. The dainty landscapes of Svetlana Kim cheered viewers with their sharp, whimsical lines, reminiscent of her book illustrations. The bright dishes of Alla Goniodsky reminded of the artist's theatrical background. Irina Shklover exhibited her wide spectre of creative styles: from the jaunty and cute "Blue Rhinoceros" to the sad, sepia-toned "Fiddler" and the vibrant red poppies in "Field of Wheat." Olga Zakharova's acrylic landscapes were like color explosions, tranquil and enticing, outlining the artist's subtle vision of natural treasures.
Next to all of these, Alexander Bukhman's photographs added a sense of urban reality to the overall glamor of beauty. Alexander Nefedov, who presented serene oil landscapes, doubled as a volunteer, while Nailia Minnebaeva, the creative director of the show and the author of a few colorful abstract compositions, sat at a table in the corner, demonstrating her print-making techniques.
While not every painting or every piece of jewelry found a buyer, the auction was only the first step on the way towards the communities' better mutual understanding of each other. Federation and several Russian Jewish community members are planning other events that will continue to bring everyone closer together.
Olga Livshin is a Vancouver freelance writer.
^TOP
|
|
