Jewish Artists in the Smithsonian Recap

On December 15, 2019, CEH’s Adult Education program sponsored a trip to the Smithsonian American Art Museum led by Deborah Kaplan, CEH member and SAAM docent. CEH members and their families enjoyed a 90-minute tour of paintings and sculptures created by Jews who immigrated to the U.S. between 1880 and 1920. The tour then moved forward in time and explored the influential work of Jewish American artists in the second half of the twentieth century. The tour finished in the elegant but often bypassed Luce Gallery on SAAM’s third floor.

Deborah provided a wealth of information about the artwork and artists that the group encountered. In the earlier time period (1880 – 1920), there was a tight knit community of Jewish artists in the US. Many knew each other and worked together in government-sponsored programs such as the Public Works of Art Project. The group learned about Jewish artists such as Frank C. Kirk who painted in the style of Social Realism, which depicts the life of poor people and the working class in positive ways. The group also saw and discussed art by Moses Sawyer, Adolph Gottlieb, Ilya Bolotowsky, Louise Nevelson and Helen Frankenthaler. We learned about different schools of art and techniques including Abstract Impressionism, Avant-Garde, and Color Field Painting. Several participant remained after the tour to explore the Luce Gallery which features a unique visible art storage program.

Congregation Etz Hayim offers a diverse schedule of Adult Education programs including Torah study, tefilla how-tos, Jewish values, and social justice. The 2019-2020 schedule is available on our website under the Education tab. CEH is grateful for the Jean Koshar and Samuel Rothstein Memorial Fund which supports our Adult Education program.

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