On View: All The Jewish Art You Need to See This Week, November 3rd Edition

Each week, the Scroll highlights upcoming exhibits, performances, and cultural events around the country.

Amherst, Massachusetts

Mark Podwal describes his art for the Yiddish Book Center exhibit Kaddish for Dąbrowa Białostocka as “a visual diary of my journey to Dąbrowa,” the shtetl in northeastern Poland where his mother was born. Podwal created a series of works filled with imaginative, colorful prints that incorporate Jewish religious iconography and ritual objects with images from Yiddish folk culture and Jewish history. (Through March 26, 2018, tickets $8.)

Beachwood, Ohio

The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage exhibit Beyond Chicken Soup: Jews and Medicine in America explores the relationship between the Jewish people and medicine. The exhibit examines how the field of medicine, while a vehicle for cultural stereotypes, has also strengthened Jewish identity. The Maltz Museum will add to this narrative the rich history of Northeast Ohio’s medical community, including the unique role of Mt. Sinai Hospital. (Through April 18, 2018, tickets $12.)

Chicago, Illinois

The Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership’s recently opened exhibit Outside Inside: Exploring Boundaries and Otherness showcases works from Spertus Institute’s second cohort of the Midwest Jewish Artists Lab. Each participant created an artwork or series around the theme of boundaries. (Through January 7, 2018, free admission.)

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Sabes JCC Tychman Shapiro Gallery & Shared Walls exhibit A Half-Century of Art by William Schulman & Shirley Siegel Schulman opens Nov. 9 with an opening reception on Nov. 12. This exhibit, which marks the 15th time the pair has shown work together, showcases works that span a variety of media and subject matter. William Schulman’s art features a deeply rooted and emotional exploration of Yiddishkeit. Shirley Siegel Schulman’s later works incorporate biblical themes with the threads of surrealism and feminism present in all of her works. (Through December 20, free admission.)

New York

Yeshiva University’s Popper Gallery is presenting The Arch of Titus–from Jerusalem to Rome, and Back. This exhibit examines the shifting meanings behind the Arch of Titus in Rome–for the Romans, the Arch of Titus represented victory in the Jewish War of 66-74 CE, while for the defeated Jews it signified a loss of home. This exhibit makes use of several replicas to explore this complicated narrative. (Through December 14, free admission.)

The Defner Judaica Museum at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale’s latest exhibit, Brenda Zlamany: 100/100 opened in September. Brenda Zlamany: 100/100 features 100 watercolor portraits of residents at the Hebrew Home. These works are part of Zlamany’s “Itinerant Portraitist” project, which explores the constructive effects of portraiture in communities around the globe. As Zlamany describes it, “with 100/100, I am interested in aging: What is important at the end of life? In the face of loss: loss of loved ones, mobility, senses, taste, hearing, sight… Is there still the possibility of joy? The role of memory. What experiences from the past fuel happiness?” (Through January 7, 2018, free admission.)

Portland, Oregon

The Oregon Jewish Museum’s latest exhibit I AM THIS: Art by Oregon Jewish Artists opened a few weeks ago. This show shines a spotlight on the art of four generations of artists living in or associated with Portland. This show is a platform to explore the role of identity and religion in modern art. (Through February 4, 2018, tickets $8.)

San Francisco

Sabbath: The 2017 Dorothy Saxe Invitational opens at the Contemporary Jewish Museum Nov 12. The exhibit invites artists to create art inspired by various ritual objects. This year, 57 artists created works inspired by the idea of Sabbath. These objects are displayed around the gallery on shelves and under vitrines on pedestals, filling the gallery with surprising forms in unusual places. (Through February 4, 2018, tickets $14.)

Is there an event or exhibit in your area we should know about? Email [email protected] with the details and a link.