Happy Chanukah or "Eating Chinese Food on Christmas"

Chanukah already started and I forgot to tell you about my favorite books and resources for contemporary Judaica. The selection is small, but the potential audience for this genre has room for growth.

Years ago, Lark Books published 500 Judaica: Innovative Contemporary Ritual Art. (Affiliate link) I  am very pleased to say that there are several examples of my artwork.

 

A Collectors' Guide to Judaica(Affiliate link) has an interesting selection of historical pieces with informative text. (It only has a few 20th-century pieces of Judaica.)  This book might be hard to find.

 

 

 

 

Are you looking for images of contemporary Judaica that are not the generic gift store item?

Check out a newly published book, Modern Judaica by Jim Cohen includes only contemporary Judaica, many of the pieces are absolutely outstanding.  

Here are a few outstanding examples from this book: 

The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco,  has a selection of catalogs from their Invitational Exhibitions. I wonder if they are still available? 

In the order listed here (right):
L'Chaim!: A Kiddush Cup Invitational

 

Making Change: 100 Artists Interpret the Tzedakah Box.

 

Scents of Purpose: Artists Interpret the Spice Box

 New Works, Old Stories

These catalogs are not listed online, but they are all beautifully executed with images of Judaica within traditional forms and beyond the expected.

Email me, I will make a recommendation for a catalog based on your interest.

Participation in the exhibitions at the Contemporary Jewish Museum has offered me the opportunity to create museum-quality Judaica.

Many of the pieces that I made for these exhibitions have been purchased for the permanent collections of museums.

Shown to the left is "And There Was Light" a spice book that holds a Havdalah box. 

 

If you are interested, all of my Judaica is shown on my website.

"And There Was Light"                  2004

Seven hinged panels to create an accordion-style book with a removable Spice Box. This contemporary Judaica is constructed from recycled tin cans, spice tins, vintage steel dollhouses, 10 k. gold rivets, aluminum rivets, stainless steel screws. Available for purchase or exhibition.

Each panel    14.25” height x 9” width
The length of the book completely open is 54".

 

Facets of Light        1999

Menorah was constructed from pre-printed steel from recycled tin containers, "Pushke" Boxes used for the Jewish National Fund, and pre-printed steel from vintage dollhouses. Aluminum rivets. One-half-inch acrylic cubes function as feet under the menorah. Available for purchase or exhibition.

3" height x 21" width x 25.5" length

Yellow Flower Scroll Doorpost Mezuzah
Dimensions: 7.25” Inventory number M2L.220

This post was updated on February27, 2023.