Dublin Core
Title
Minyan, Shehafkhani
Subject
Judaism; memory; bimah; mechitza; chairs; sanctuary; capstone
Description
Installation for the 2023 Macalester senior studio art capstone presentation.
Artist's statement:
Minyan is a full-scale art installation that recreates my memory of the synagogue sanctuary my family attended when I was a child. Salient furniture: bimah, chairs, and mechitza have been welded from wire and covered in fabric. These items are arranged in their traditional locations, inviting viewers to enter the "sanctuary" space and walk among the furniture. However, none of the furniture is functional, the thin wire and fabric make for flimsy objects which invoke the transience and instability of memory. The fabrics of the chairs and mechitza mimic the richness of a sanctuary space. Additionally, the mechitza's transparent quality evokes an ethereal intangibility. The many fabrics used in the bimah vary in color and texture in order to imitate the appearance of wood grain and allude to the patchwork quality of community, aligning with the bimah's role as a central point of synagogue procedure and community. The final component of the installation is a handmade tallit, which hangs in the place of an ark. Unlike the furniture, the tallit is decorated with vibrant fabrics, alluding to magic and rebirth.
The recreation of this familiar space was part of my effort to understand what Judaism means to me and how my identity as a trans and queer person resides within Jewish space. It attempts to capture a complex narrative of identity by mixing adolescent memory with hope for the future. Consequently, the process of creating this space was just as meaningful as the end result. The opportunity to create a sanctuary within a community that fully supports me has been a journey of healing and fulfillment. I love Judaism and I love the community I have created for myself. My hope for this installation is that others can find reflection, solace, and joy in their own memories, however different they may be from mine.
The Birkot Hashachar are a series of daily morning prayers of gratitude. Although I did not grow up saying the prayers, I found the modification of one specific blessing to be particularly moving. The blessing, which either gives thanks for being created as a man or according to Gd's will, was modified by an Ottoman Sephardi Rabbi in 1896 in order to account for a trans man's transition. The new blessing ended with "shehafkhani l'ish" or "who transformed me into a man." "Shehafkhani" alone means "who transformed me." Although traditionally most tallitot have the prayer for wearing the tallit inscribed on them, any prayer can be used.
Translation by Noam Sienna. Special thank you to Rabbi Emma for guiding me through tying the tzitzit.
Artist's statement:
Minyan is a full-scale art installation that recreates my memory of the synagogue sanctuary my family attended when I was a child. Salient furniture: bimah, chairs, and mechitza have been welded from wire and covered in fabric. These items are arranged in their traditional locations, inviting viewers to enter the "sanctuary" space and walk among the furniture. However, none of the furniture is functional, the thin wire and fabric make for flimsy objects which invoke the transience and instability of memory. The fabrics of the chairs and mechitza mimic the richness of a sanctuary space. Additionally, the mechitza's transparent quality evokes an ethereal intangibility. The many fabrics used in the bimah vary in color and texture in order to imitate the appearance of wood grain and allude to the patchwork quality of community, aligning with the bimah's role as a central point of synagogue procedure and community. The final component of the installation is a handmade tallit, which hangs in the place of an ark. Unlike the furniture, the tallit is decorated with vibrant fabrics, alluding to magic and rebirth.
The recreation of this familiar space was part of my effort to understand what Judaism means to me and how my identity as a trans and queer person resides within Jewish space. It attempts to capture a complex narrative of identity by mixing adolescent memory with hope for the future. Consequently, the process of creating this space was just as meaningful as the end result. The opportunity to create a sanctuary within a community that fully supports me has been a journey of healing and fulfillment. I love Judaism and I love the community I have created for myself. My hope for this installation is that others can find reflection, solace, and joy in their own memories, however different they may be from mine.
The Birkot Hashachar are a series of daily morning prayers of gratitude. Although I did not grow up saying the prayers, I found the modification of one specific blessing to be particularly moving. The blessing, which either gives thanks for being created as a man or according to Gd's will, was modified by an Ottoman Sephardi Rabbi in 1896 in order to account for a trans man's transition. The new blessing ended with "shehafkhani l'ish" or "who transformed me into a man." "Shehafkhani" alone means "who transformed me." Although traditionally most tallitot have the prayer for wearing the tallit inscribed on them, any prayer can be used.
Translation by Noam Sienna. Special thank you to Rabbi Emma for guiding me through tying the tzitzit.
Creator
Soph Goldberg
Source
Soph Goldberg, Cheryl Wilgren
Publisher
Visual Resources Library
Date
2023
Contributor
KB
Rights
The artist holds the rights
Format
Bimah: wire, mixed fabrics; Mechitza: wire, fabric, commemorative plaque; Chairs: wire, velvet; Shehafkhani: cotton, satin, silk chiffon, tzitzit;
Language
English, Hebrew
Type
Sculpture, installation, furniture, quilt, capstone
Identifier
Sculpture, installation, furniture, quilt, capstone
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Sculpture, installation, furniture, quilt, capstone