The Second Commandment’s prohibition against graven images has inspired modern Jewish artists to imagine a new visual language, and provoke the deepest questions of human existence.
Often drawing from Jewish folklore and personal history, Marc Chagall, Amedeo Modigliani, and Chaim Soutine depicted floating figures, and distorted perspectives to express a sense of identity and memory.
Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Lee Krasner, and Louise Nevelson, explored vast colour fields, powerful gestures and abstract forms to create immersive experiences that evoke spirituality, and the sublime.
This talk will examine how the emigrant experience and Talmudic teaching have played significant roles to reach beyond representation, and transform our expectations of art.
Sophie is an art historian, writer, and lecturer, with a special interest in visual culture and architecture. She has worked with leading institutions in the culture and heritage sectors across Europe and brings a rich, interdisciplinary perspective to her talks.