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The art of understanding: = Exhibit=20 brings Jewish, Arab artists together
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The=20 art of understanding: Exhibit brings = Jewish,=20 Arab artists togetherBy Pauline Dubkin Yearwood = (05/02/2008)

Can an art exhibit lead to peace in = the=20 Middle East?=20

Not all by itself, of course, but = those=20 involved in "Tolerance of Belief," an = exhibit of=20 works by Jewish and Arab artists, hope = that=20 they're taking a tiny step in that = direction.=20

A statement of purpose for the show, = which=20 continues through the first week of June = at=20 Temple Sholom of Chicago, declares that = "though=20 the political solution in Israel and = Palestine=20 is multifaceted and complex ... = Tolerance of=20 Belief asserts that ... it is necessary = for=20 peace-minded people from all sides of = the=20 conflict to stand up and declare that = all humans=20 are G-d's children and every single = human soul=20 ... is sacred."=20

Those lofty words, along with the = works of=20 nine artists, all of which relate in = some way to=20 the theme of the show, "affirm the kind = of=20 values the Jewish community really needs = to=20 emphasize - how can we come together as = human=20 beings to try to solve problems?" says = one of=20 the artists in the show, Judith Joseph. = She is a=20 painter and ketubah artist who has four = large=20 acrylic works in the exhibit, all = focusing in=20 visual ways on the theme of = co-existence.=20

The show was the brainchild of Robert = Wayner=20 and was originally displayed at his = Black Walnut=20 Gallery in Chicago last summer. Wayner, = an=20 artist as well as gallery owner, said he = had=20 been interested in putting together such = a show=20 for years and was surprised to find it = had never=20 been done in the United States.=20

Raised as a Christian in a rural area = of=20 downstate Illinois, he says he has = always felt a=20 strong connection to Israel and the = Middle East=20 that predated his discovery, when he was = 30,=20 that his paternal great-grandfather was = Jewish.=20 He may have Jewish ancestors on his = mother's=20 side as well, he believes.=20

The impetus for the show, however, = was simply=20 his belief that art is the best and most = powerful medium to promote peace. The = original=20 exhibit came together with help from = both Arab=20 and Jewish groups, including = enthusiastic=20 participation from the Israeli = Consulate, and=20 was very well received, Wayner says.=20

He received a call from a member of = Temple=20 Sholom's art committee and began = recreating the=20 exhibit for the temple's Mendelson = Gallery. This=20 time fewer artists were included, but = all the=20 works pertain to the theme, he says. = Artists=20 represented are from Israel, the United = States,=20 Libya, Lebanon, France, Iran and Egypt.=20

Joseph says she became excited when = Wayner=20 first put out a call for artists for the = original exhibit. "He described the = purpose of=20 the show as bringing together Jewish and = Muslim=20 artists in an effort to show mutual = respect and=20 tolerance of belief," she says. "I was = so=20 excited when I saw that, I said, you = have to put=20 me in the show. This is so much what I = believe=20 in. There is so much distrust and fear = that=20 ultimately gives rise to global = conflict. Peace=20 really has to start between individuals, = and I=20 think artists can really lead the way."=20

At the exhibit's opening event = earlier this=20 month, which drew close to 200 people, = Joseph=20 noted the novelty of "Muslim artists = coming to=20 an art opening at a synagogue on a = Friday night.=20 We had a lot of discussion; it was a = really=20 joyous thing," she says.=20

One bonus for Joseph was that she got = to meet=20 artists from very different backgrounds = and=20 become friendly with some of them. In = fact, she=20 says she discovered she has much in = common with=20 some of the Muslim artists in the = extensive use=20 of calligraphy. Joseph uses it in her = ketubah=20 art, and Muslim artists have used it for = centuries because of an Islamic = prohibition=20 against representation of the human = form.=20

One of the paintings Joseph has in = the show=20 is based on the famous parable of the = peaceable=20 kingdom, where the "lion lies down with = the=20 lamb," but the setting is the Alhambra, = a=20 Moorish palace in Spain built during a = period=20 when Jews were welcomed into Moorish = society and=20 interacted with Arabs on an equal basis, = she=20 says. "It was a period of history and = culture=20 that really fascinates me - looking back = to see=20 when people got along."=20

Both Wayner and Joseph stress that = the=20 exhibit is not political and does not = "take=20 sides."=20

"It's not a matter of being = anti-Israel,"=20 Joseph says. "It's just to remember that = we are=20 talking about human lives; let's try to = resolve=20 things peacefully in the spirit of = tikkun=20 olam." The show promotes the idea = that the=20 religious convictions of others can be = respected=20 even when they are not fully understood, = she=20 says.=20

Wayner adds that it's important for = visitors=20 to the show to realize that "this is not = a=20 typical left-wing show (that demands) = peace now=20 without understanding the issues. The = show says,=20 we don't see eye to eye on issues and we = may=20 never fully understand each other's = perspective.=20 It is a show about moderates coming = together to=20 make a stand, saying we can work this = out. It's=20 never going to be a fully perfect union. = What we=20 can do is come to that conclusion = without=20 violence. We are moderates on both sides = with a=20 deep-seated conviction that we are all = G-d's=20 children."=20

If all concerned realized that, the = show=20 intimates, the lion really would lie = down with=20 the lamb.=20

"Tolerance of Belief" continues = through=20 the first week in June at the Mendelson = Gallery=20 at Temple Sholom of Chicago, 3480 N. = Lake Shore=20 Drive, Chicago. Gallery hours are 8:30 = a.m.-5:30=20 p.m. Monday-Friday. For information on = special=20 events connected with the show, = including a talk=20 on June 2 by Pulitzer Prize-winning = historian=20 Garry Wills, call (773)=20 = 525-4707.

=20 =

=A9 Chicago Jewish News=20 2005 Contact = Chicago=20 Jewish = News Design by=20 jesterjames &n= bsp; Code=20 by Remington=20 Associates, Ltd.