Artist's Notes for Karpeles Exhibit
Midrash and Miscellany, Contemporary Paintings from Biblical Texts
Karpeles Manuscript Museum, May 1-August 30, 2015
21 West Anapamu, Santa Barbara, CA
Several years ago I attended a Jewish Art Salon meeting in New York. People were talking about "Midrash". I had heard the term but was not sure what it meant. I looked it up and as I read about it images began to apear to me. This was the beginning of this show. I am going to speak a bit about the supplements to the written Torah, generally referred to as Midrash. These stories often pick up where the Torah commentary ends, and amplify the story line with the intent of moral teaching. I have been told by one of my rabbis, that the Torah is black on white, while the Midrashim are the colors. This comment of course caught my attention and sparked my interest in creating a series of colorful paintings based on these Midrashim. The sages who compiled the Midrashim were saintly personalities. No single Midrash was recorded to tell us a simple story -- each conveys a profound message.
Abbreviations are:
MS for Weissman, Rabbi Moshe, The Midrash Says, Denei Yakov Publications, Brooklyn, NY, 1980.
MR for Midrash Rabbah
GIN for Ginsberg, Louis, Legends of the Jews, The Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, 2003.
BL for Bialik, Hyim, and Ravnitzky, Yehoshua, Editors, “The Book of Legends Sefer Ha-Aggadah”, Schocken Books, New York, 1992.
1. “Finding the Parsha 4”: Each week a different chapter in the Torah is read. A Torah scroll is brought out and a book is often used to find where the story has left off. The painting is of an orthodox service where men and women are separated. To me, the women are closer to G-d. As often happens, a child will leave the designated women's area to be with a family member in the men's.
2. “Leaving the Ark”: The Earth was filled with violence and the people ridiculed Noah for building the ark. The ark had three stories with corridors containing hundreds of dark crowded compartments. Animals entered in pairs but were separated, as intercourse was forbidden for them as well as Noah and his family. After a year the door is finally opened, revealing the rainbow. This represents the covenant from G-d to Noah, the promise not to destroy the earth again. The animals are beginning to come out of their pens. The lion at the entrance is waiting for Noah; he will castrate him. (MR p. 244-291. GIN p. 144-151.)
3. “Ancient Synagogue, Bar Am”: I tried to show echoes of the life that once was in this ancient ruin in Israel. At the site, as at the Western Wall, the presence of those who prayed centuries ago is palpable. I wonder what those who come after us will see.
4. “Tower of Babel”: Nimrod was crowned King and claimed divine power. “Let us build a tower so high that it will reach to Heaven, and we will make a name for ourselves and be above any future flood”. Another group said, “We will set up an idol at the top of the tower, put a sword in his hand, and show G-d that we are declaring war on Him.”
G-d, changed their common language to seventy different languages. The people were confused by lack of understanding and began to fight. “Come, I will go down and confound their language and through their own lips will I destroy them.” In the painting, horses and carts are seen returning for more bricks as other horse drawn carts are depicted carrying bricks to the top. Furnaces bake bricks at the bottom. The top third of the tower burns as the bottom third sinks into the earth. The center of the tower is in chaos. They never slackened in their work, and from their dizzy height, archers constantly shoot arrows toward heaven to kill G-d. This was seen as a revolt against G-d. (MS p. 107-112. GIN p. 164. MR p. 306-307.)
5. “Binding of Isaac”: G-d tells Abraham, “Take Isaac, who is thirty-seven years old, and bring him as an offering.” Abraham selected branches fit for the altar, and they left for the mountain. Isaac cried, “My father, here is fire and wood but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” Abraham said, “You will be the lamb.” Isaac put his face between his hands and wept. G-d said, “When I commanded you to take your son, I did not mean slaughter, but only to prove your love for me.” In the background is the ram caught in a thicket, which will become the sacrifice and the Ram horn will be blown on the High Holidays to remember the sacrifice. Sarah can be seen with her arms raised toward Heaven. Was it her that cried for Abraham to stop or an angel as in Rembrandt’s series. Two companions await the return of Abraham and Isaac. (MS p.194-197.)
6. “Jacob and the Angel”: Jacob and his household crossed the river Yabok. On the other side of the river, Jacob met a man who seemed to be a shepherd. Jacob struggles with the man he calls a magician. He was no magician, but Esau’s guardian angel, who sticks his finger in the earth and a volcano of flames erupts. Jacob, however, was not afraid. He says, “Do you think this frightens me? The house of Jacob is called a fire!” The angel and Jacob wrestle all night, after which the angel declares Jacob is no longer Jacob, but will henceforth be known as Israel. Jacob’s nightlong struggle is a forerunner of his descendants’ future struggle in the long exile that is compared to night. (MS p. 314.)
7. “Jacob’s Ladder”: Jacob prepared for a night outdoors Yaakov (Jacob) dreamed, and had a vision of a ladder that extended to heaven with angels ascending and descending. Their mission completed, they rose to heaven, or having their new assignment, descended to earth. The angels, whose assignments were not met, needed help getting up, so G-d sent a ladder. On the whole it was a night of marvels. He saw angels from Babylon, from Greece, from Media, and Edom. The ladder symbolized Mount Sinai, ablaze with flames that reached to heaven. (MS p. 275. GIN p. 276.)
8. “Joseph and His Brothers”: Joseph was a dreamer; in one of his dreams, his brothers bowed down to him. When he told his brothers his dream they hated him. His brothers were sent by their father to tend the flocks, while Joseph, the favorite, stayed behind. Joseph was then asked to go and see how his brothers were faring. When they saw him coming, they conspired to kill him. Brother Reuben said, “Let us not slay him but cast him into a pit swarming with snakes and scorpions.” Into a dry pit he was then thrown. A passing caravan caught the attention of the brothers, and it was decided to sell him into slavery rather than kill him. They took off his coat of many colors, which his father, Jacob, had given him. The coat, dipped in blood and torn, was used to deceive Jacob to believe that wild animals killed Joseph. Joseph is actually sold into slavery and taken to Egypt, thus beginning the story of the Exodus. (GIN p. 332.)
9. “I am Joseph, Your Brother”: Joseph is sold and the story of Joseph continues to his rise in prominence in Egypt, in charge of the distribution of food during a severe famine. His brothers travel to Egypt for food and are brought to Joseph who now looks and acts like an Egyptian. They bow down to him, fulfilling the dream Joseph told them of eighteen years before. Joseph then reveals to them his true identity, forgives his brothers and is re-united with his father Jacob who lives his last years with his beloved Joseph.
10. “Baby Moses”: Two hundred years go by. The new Pharaoh ordered his officers to go to Goshen to look for the male babies of the children of Israel in order to kill them. They tore the babies from their mothers’ breast by force and thrust them into the river Nile. Thousands of male babies were drowned in the river. Moses is put in a canopied basket by his mother and sister and lowered into the river. Pharaoh’s daughter and attendants see the floating basket and rescue Moses. In the painting’s distance, horse drawn wagons bring babies to the river’s edge and unload them to be thrown into the water. Moses’ mother and sister wait in the bushes. (GIN p. 472.) “Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, but every daughter you may keep alive”. Passover Haggadah
11. “Burning Bush”: Moses, in a rash act, kills an Egyptian taskmaster who was abusing Hebrew slaves. A few days later, he tries to settle a dispute between two Jewish slaves, who then ask him if he will kill them as well. Realizing his act has been seen, and fearful of the consequences, Moses leaves Egypt. He sojourns in Midian many years, raising a family there and settling in. Eventually, while out on the land, G-d speaks to him in a burning thorn bush telling him to return to Egypt to free the Jews.
12. “Sea of Reeds”: This painting is an artist’s vision of the parting of the Red Sea. In the Okefenokee Swamp in Florida, grasses have grown over deep water to form what appears to be a land mass. This will support men and women walking in an orderly fashion. However, when the Egyptians, using two horses pulling a metal chariot carrying a man laden with heavy armor at a fast gallop, attempted to cross such a “sea”, the land only supported them until hundreds more came and got out to the middle of the swamp. Then it was only a matter of time before the whole mass collapsed and horse and chariots and soldiers “dropped like a rock” to their watery grave below.
13. “Sea of Reeds 3”: see above
14. “Sea of Reeds 4”: see above
15. “Moses on Mount Sinai”: Moses is shown ascending Mount Sinai holding a staff of sapphire with the initials of the Ten Plagues engraved on it. The Divine Name is also etched on the staff. The Staff was first held by Adam, then passed to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Moses and then to David. At the bottom of the painting are the tents in the encampment of two million Jews awaiting Moses’ return with the Ten Commandments. G-d’s light leads him on. (GIN p. 496.) (BL p. 63-37)
16. “Moses and the Golden Calf”: Moses returned to the foot of Mount Sinai after forty days on the mountain top. He carried the sapphire tablets etched with the Ten Commandments. He entered the camp and saw the Golden Calf, the merriment, and the dancing. Jewish priests and the women had turned their backs on this outrage and were leaving the group, marching in order behind their tribal banners. The Levites and women represent the intellect in control of the emotions. The wild dancers represent the Egyptians who followed the Jews into the desert and those Jews who were overly influenced by them. Moses flew into a rage. When he looked at the Tablets, they had turned to stone, and the letters were rising heavenward. (GIN p. 625. MS p. 326. MR p. 359.)
17. “Moses and the Rock”: The Jews left Egypt and wandered in the desert for many years. “And there was no water for the congregation, and the people spoke saying,‘Why have you brought the assembly to this wilderness. There is no water to drink.’ ” Throughout these long years, Moses had striven to refrain from harshly addressing the people. On this occasion, however, he was mastered by his rage. “I vow that I shall let water flow out of that rock only that I have chosen.” Carried away by anger, Moses still further forgot himself and instead of speaking to the rock as G-d had commanded to bring forth water, he struck it instead. He struck the rock again, this time it gushed mighty streams of water. G-d said to Moses, “You acted contrary to my command because you did not speak to the rock; you sanctified Me not in the eyes of the children of Israel; therefore, because you did not obey Me, you shall not bring the assembly to the Promised Land.” The painting shows the moment when Moses realizes he has let his anger at the people prevent him from doing as G-d commanded. (GIN p. 733.)
18. “Gates are Closing”: The Jewish High Holiday Yom Kippur service ends with a reference to the gates of judgment closing as we say our final prayers, and a pleading that before the gates close we each be granted a good year to come. This painting is my attempt to show a few people as they react to this compelling moment in the service.
19. “Tikun Olam”: Literally this translates as “Repairing the World”. The image suggests that a single person, intent on any task of repair, brings merit to the task and the world.
20. “Yemin Moshe 2: Yemin Moshe is the earliest Jewish community in Jerusalem outside the Old City Jerusalem walls. When the Jordanians occupied the Old City they would shoot at the residents of Yemin Moshe. Now that Israelis have reclaimed this part of our heritage, it is a lovely community of beautiful stone houses and many flowering plants. A stroll through Yemin Moshe is a wonderful and soothing experience.
21. “Circus Trailer 2: From the Hollywood series, this painting was done from material gathered at the set of a light-hearted Hollywood comedy. The quiet and peaceful scene of the trailer at night is in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of movie sets all day.
22. “Orange Roofs”: A small depiction of one of the many beauties of Santa Barbara.
23. “Self Portrait with White Hair: Self-explanatory, following the long tradition of artists painting themselves over time.
24. “One Ride Only”: This is the concluding image of this show. We only get one chance in our current bodies, for good or for ill. This work depicts how fast our time flies by. While we fail to notice this in our youth, as we go round on the wheel of years, as with the wheel of the merry-go-round, as it spins faster and faster we begin to notice that eventually the ride will come to an end.
Karpeles Manuscript Museum, May 1-August 30, 2015
21 West Anapamu, Santa Barbara, CA
Several years ago I attended a Jewish Art Salon meeting in New York. People were talking about "Midrash". I had heard the term but was not sure what it meant. I looked it up and as I read about it images began to apear to me. This was the beginning of this show. I am going to speak a bit about the supplements to the written Torah, generally referred to as Midrash. These stories often pick up where the Torah commentary ends, and amplify the story line with the intent of moral teaching. I have been told by one of my rabbis, that the Torah is black on white, while the Midrashim are the colors. This comment of course caught my attention and sparked my interest in creating a series of colorful paintings based on these Midrashim. The sages who compiled the Midrashim were saintly personalities. No single Midrash was recorded to tell us a simple story -- each conveys a profound message.
Abbreviations are:
MS for Weissman, Rabbi Moshe, The Midrash Says, Denei Yakov Publications, Brooklyn, NY, 1980.
MR for Midrash Rabbah
GIN for Ginsberg, Louis, Legends of the Jews, The Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, 2003.
BL for Bialik, Hyim, and Ravnitzky, Yehoshua, Editors, “The Book of Legends Sefer Ha-Aggadah”, Schocken Books, New York, 1992.
1. “Finding the Parsha 4”: Each week a different chapter in the Torah is read. A Torah scroll is brought out and a book is often used to find where the story has left off. The painting is of an orthodox service where men and women are separated. To me, the women are closer to G-d. As often happens, a child will leave the designated women's area to be with a family member in the men's.
2. “Leaving the Ark”: The Earth was filled with violence and the people ridiculed Noah for building the ark. The ark had three stories with corridors containing hundreds of dark crowded compartments. Animals entered in pairs but were separated, as intercourse was forbidden for them as well as Noah and his family. After a year the door is finally opened, revealing the rainbow. This represents the covenant from G-d to Noah, the promise not to destroy the earth again. The animals are beginning to come out of their pens. The lion at the entrance is waiting for Noah; he will castrate him. (MR p. 244-291. GIN p. 144-151.)
3. “Ancient Synagogue, Bar Am”: I tried to show echoes of the life that once was in this ancient ruin in Israel. At the site, as at the Western Wall, the presence of those who prayed centuries ago is palpable. I wonder what those who come after us will see.
4. “Tower of Babel”: Nimrod was crowned King and claimed divine power. “Let us build a tower so high that it will reach to Heaven, and we will make a name for ourselves and be above any future flood”. Another group said, “We will set up an idol at the top of the tower, put a sword in his hand, and show G-d that we are declaring war on Him.”
G-d, changed their common language to seventy different languages. The people were confused by lack of understanding and began to fight. “Come, I will go down and confound their language and through their own lips will I destroy them.” In the painting, horses and carts are seen returning for more bricks as other horse drawn carts are depicted carrying bricks to the top. Furnaces bake bricks at the bottom. The top third of the tower burns as the bottom third sinks into the earth. The center of the tower is in chaos. They never slackened in their work, and from their dizzy height, archers constantly shoot arrows toward heaven to kill G-d. This was seen as a revolt against G-d. (MS p. 107-112. GIN p. 164. MR p. 306-307.)
5. “Binding of Isaac”: G-d tells Abraham, “Take Isaac, who is thirty-seven years old, and bring him as an offering.” Abraham selected branches fit for the altar, and they left for the mountain. Isaac cried, “My father, here is fire and wood but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” Abraham said, “You will be the lamb.” Isaac put his face between his hands and wept. G-d said, “When I commanded you to take your son, I did not mean slaughter, but only to prove your love for me.” In the background is the ram caught in a thicket, which will become the sacrifice and the Ram horn will be blown on the High Holidays to remember the sacrifice. Sarah can be seen with her arms raised toward Heaven. Was it her that cried for Abraham to stop or an angel as in Rembrandt’s series. Two companions await the return of Abraham and Isaac. (MS p.194-197.)
6. “Jacob and the Angel”: Jacob and his household crossed the river Yabok. On the other side of the river, Jacob met a man who seemed to be a shepherd. Jacob struggles with the man he calls a magician. He was no magician, but Esau’s guardian angel, who sticks his finger in the earth and a volcano of flames erupts. Jacob, however, was not afraid. He says, “Do you think this frightens me? The house of Jacob is called a fire!” The angel and Jacob wrestle all night, after which the angel declares Jacob is no longer Jacob, but will henceforth be known as Israel. Jacob’s nightlong struggle is a forerunner of his descendants’ future struggle in the long exile that is compared to night. (MS p. 314.)
7. “Jacob’s Ladder”: Jacob prepared for a night outdoors Yaakov (Jacob) dreamed, and had a vision of a ladder that extended to heaven with angels ascending and descending. Their mission completed, they rose to heaven, or having their new assignment, descended to earth. The angels, whose assignments were not met, needed help getting up, so G-d sent a ladder. On the whole it was a night of marvels. He saw angels from Babylon, from Greece, from Media, and Edom. The ladder symbolized Mount Sinai, ablaze with flames that reached to heaven. (MS p. 275. GIN p. 276.)
8. “Joseph and His Brothers”: Joseph was a dreamer; in one of his dreams, his brothers bowed down to him. When he told his brothers his dream they hated him. His brothers were sent by their father to tend the flocks, while Joseph, the favorite, stayed behind. Joseph was then asked to go and see how his brothers were faring. When they saw him coming, they conspired to kill him. Brother Reuben said, “Let us not slay him but cast him into a pit swarming with snakes and scorpions.” Into a dry pit he was then thrown. A passing caravan caught the attention of the brothers, and it was decided to sell him into slavery rather than kill him. They took off his coat of many colors, which his father, Jacob, had given him. The coat, dipped in blood and torn, was used to deceive Jacob to believe that wild animals killed Joseph. Joseph is actually sold into slavery and taken to Egypt, thus beginning the story of the Exodus. (GIN p. 332.)
9. “I am Joseph, Your Brother”: Joseph is sold and the story of Joseph continues to his rise in prominence in Egypt, in charge of the distribution of food during a severe famine. His brothers travel to Egypt for food and are brought to Joseph who now looks and acts like an Egyptian. They bow down to him, fulfilling the dream Joseph told them of eighteen years before. Joseph then reveals to them his true identity, forgives his brothers and is re-united with his father Jacob who lives his last years with his beloved Joseph.
10. “Baby Moses”: Two hundred years go by. The new Pharaoh ordered his officers to go to Goshen to look for the male babies of the children of Israel in order to kill them. They tore the babies from their mothers’ breast by force and thrust them into the river Nile. Thousands of male babies were drowned in the river. Moses is put in a canopied basket by his mother and sister and lowered into the river. Pharaoh’s daughter and attendants see the floating basket and rescue Moses. In the painting’s distance, horse drawn wagons bring babies to the river’s edge and unload them to be thrown into the water. Moses’ mother and sister wait in the bushes. (GIN p. 472.) “Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, but every daughter you may keep alive”. Passover Haggadah
11. “Burning Bush”: Moses, in a rash act, kills an Egyptian taskmaster who was abusing Hebrew slaves. A few days later, he tries to settle a dispute between two Jewish slaves, who then ask him if he will kill them as well. Realizing his act has been seen, and fearful of the consequences, Moses leaves Egypt. He sojourns in Midian many years, raising a family there and settling in. Eventually, while out on the land, G-d speaks to him in a burning thorn bush telling him to return to Egypt to free the Jews.
12. “Sea of Reeds”: This painting is an artist’s vision of the parting of the Red Sea. In the Okefenokee Swamp in Florida, grasses have grown over deep water to form what appears to be a land mass. This will support men and women walking in an orderly fashion. However, when the Egyptians, using two horses pulling a metal chariot carrying a man laden with heavy armor at a fast gallop, attempted to cross such a “sea”, the land only supported them until hundreds more came and got out to the middle of the swamp. Then it was only a matter of time before the whole mass collapsed and horse and chariots and soldiers “dropped like a rock” to their watery grave below.
13. “Sea of Reeds 3”: see above
14. “Sea of Reeds 4”: see above
15. “Moses on Mount Sinai”: Moses is shown ascending Mount Sinai holding a staff of sapphire with the initials of the Ten Plagues engraved on it. The Divine Name is also etched on the staff. The Staff was first held by Adam, then passed to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Moses and then to David. At the bottom of the painting are the tents in the encampment of two million Jews awaiting Moses’ return with the Ten Commandments. G-d’s light leads him on. (GIN p. 496.) (BL p. 63-37)
16. “Moses and the Golden Calf”: Moses returned to the foot of Mount Sinai after forty days on the mountain top. He carried the sapphire tablets etched with the Ten Commandments. He entered the camp and saw the Golden Calf, the merriment, and the dancing. Jewish priests and the women had turned their backs on this outrage and were leaving the group, marching in order behind their tribal banners. The Levites and women represent the intellect in control of the emotions. The wild dancers represent the Egyptians who followed the Jews into the desert and those Jews who were overly influenced by them. Moses flew into a rage. When he looked at the Tablets, they had turned to stone, and the letters were rising heavenward. (GIN p. 625. MS p. 326. MR p. 359.)
17. “Moses and the Rock”: The Jews left Egypt and wandered in the desert for many years. “And there was no water for the congregation, and the people spoke saying,‘Why have you brought the assembly to this wilderness. There is no water to drink.’ ” Throughout these long years, Moses had striven to refrain from harshly addressing the people. On this occasion, however, he was mastered by his rage. “I vow that I shall let water flow out of that rock only that I have chosen.” Carried away by anger, Moses still further forgot himself and instead of speaking to the rock as G-d had commanded to bring forth water, he struck it instead. He struck the rock again, this time it gushed mighty streams of water. G-d said to Moses, “You acted contrary to my command because you did not speak to the rock; you sanctified Me not in the eyes of the children of Israel; therefore, because you did not obey Me, you shall not bring the assembly to the Promised Land.” The painting shows the moment when Moses realizes he has let his anger at the people prevent him from doing as G-d commanded. (GIN p. 733.)
18. “Gates are Closing”: The Jewish High Holiday Yom Kippur service ends with a reference to the gates of judgment closing as we say our final prayers, and a pleading that before the gates close we each be granted a good year to come. This painting is my attempt to show a few people as they react to this compelling moment in the service.
19. “Tikun Olam”: Literally this translates as “Repairing the World”. The image suggests that a single person, intent on any task of repair, brings merit to the task and the world.
20. “Yemin Moshe 2: Yemin Moshe is the earliest Jewish community in Jerusalem outside the Old City Jerusalem walls. When the Jordanians occupied the Old City they would shoot at the residents of Yemin Moshe. Now that Israelis have reclaimed this part of our heritage, it is a lovely community of beautiful stone houses and many flowering plants. A stroll through Yemin Moshe is a wonderful and soothing experience.
21. “Circus Trailer 2: From the Hollywood series, this painting was done from material gathered at the set of a light-hearted Hollywood comedy. The quiet and peaceful scene of the trailer at night is in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of movie sets all day.
22. “Orange Roofs”: A small depiction of one of the many beauties of Santa Barbara.
23. “Self Portrait with White Hair: Self-explanatory, following the long tradition of artists painting themselves over time.
24. “One Ride Only”: This is the concluding image of this show. We only get one chance in our current bodies, for good or for ill. This work depicts how fast our time flies by. While we fail to notice this in our youth, as we go round on the wheel of years, as with the wheel of the merry-go-round, as it spins faster and faster we begin to notice that eventually the ride will come to an end.