Upcoming Exhibitions
Aleph Bet
Opens Sunday 15 April until Sunday 5 August 2012
Marc Lopez Bernal, 8 - ח - HĖT: Flying over barriers, mixed media, 2004. Reproduced courtesy of the artist.
Loti Smorgon Gallery:
Aleph Bet: the artistry and poetry of the Hebrew Alphabet
Works by Marc Lopez Bernal.
Gross Gallery:
Aleph Bet: playing with the Hebrew alphabet
Works from the Jewish Museum of Australia Collection.
Aleph Bet is a not-to-be-missed exhibition in two parts for adults and children exploring the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet through art, spirituality, words and objects.
In the Loti Smorgon Gallery, Aleph Bet: the artistry and poetry of the Hebrew alphabet, works by Marc Lopez Bernal is a mystical and poetic journey through the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. French contemporary artist Marc Lopez Bernal has created large-scale, mixed-media artworks, some measuring 2 x 3 metres, forming an exciting and complex landscape of letters.
Spatial, sensual and dreamy, Bernal calls upon natural elements in his recreation of the Hebrew alphabet. This major exhibition will be the first showcase of Bernal's works to be exhibited in Australia.
In the Gross Gallery is the family-friendly Aleph Bet: playing with the Hebrew alphabet which features 50 colourful, quirky and interesting objects from the Jewish Museum of Australia collection, that each relate to a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. With objects displayed at child-friendly heights, and a range of fun activities, this exhibition is a wonderful way to engage children with language and words through history and objects.
Pieces include a handmade Gypsy doll from Belsen, Germany 1945, a 1930s embroidery of a Good Witch and a 19th-century wooden toy of Noah's Ark comprising 77 individually carved wooden animals and figures, a large selection of which will be on display.
Aleph Bet playfully brings to life the wonderful world of language with two exhibitions and a suite of exciting and stimulating programs all linked directly to the Hebrew alphabet. These include weekly story-time sessions for preschoolers; art workshops, jewellery making and yoga for children; short courses and a series of meditation sessions in the upstairs gallery for adults. Look, listen and explore the Hebrew alphabet at the Jewish Museum of Australia with Aleph Bet.
Reel Religion
Opens August 2012
Interior of Messrs Levy Brothers' Warehouse (detail), The Illustrated Melbourne Post, 1865, Jewish Museum of Australia Collection, 28.
Calling Australia Home
Zelman Cowen Gallery of Australian Jewish History
Opening May 2012
The Gallery of Australian Jewish History, is one of the Museum's four permanent exhibition spaces, and is named in honour of the Museum's patron, the late Sir Zelman Cowen.
The redevelopment is at the heart of the Museum's new vision, which focuses on engagement and participation from audiences. The exhibition Calling Australia Home moves chronologically from Jewish settlement in Australia in 1788 until the present day, exploring the key issues and challenges that have been faced by and have shaped the community over time; the adaptation of Jewish tradition and culture in response to the conditions of Australian life; and the ways in which Jews have interacted with and contributed to Australian society. Exhibition content is drawn from the Museum's own collection and comprises objects, documents and photographs, multimedia elements and children activity pods.
Opens end of May 2012.
+ Click here to go to 2012 Museum programs
