On View:
May 24 – December 15, 2022
Superstitions, believed to bring good or bad fortune, are the inspiration for the provocative new art exhibit, Magical Thinking: Superstitions and Other Persistent Notions, opening at the Dr. Bernard Heller Museum at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion on May 24.
Black cats, horseshoes, wishbones, and mirrors are among the symbols chosen for exploration by over 50 contemporary artists. Superstitions about childbirth, and protective amulets to ward off the “evil eye” and promote good fortune are popular motifs. Several artists explore characters from Jewish folklore like the Dybbuk and the Golem.
Works include oils, watercolors, acrylics, collage, paper cuts and photographs. Creative uses of media are also featured in this contemporary art exhibition.
Since its founding as a small gallery almost 40 years ago to interpret core Jewish values, beliefs and heritage, the Dr. Bernard Heller Museum has grown into an important venue for art in Greenwich Village. Exhibitions have included seminal exhibits for emerging artists, and cutting-edge exhibitions illuminating the sexuality spectrum, home and homelessness, relationships, and the environmental crisis, as well as new directions for contemporary Jewish ceremonial art, new interpretations of Biblical art, and shows of significant private collections.