HYPE: "An Extraordinary Exhibition"

[sdelmonte]

Those aren't my words. Those are from Roberta Smith, the de facto chief art critic of The New York Times, talking about a new exhibition that opens Sunday at The Jewish Museum, They Called Me Mayer July: Painted Memories of a Jewish Childhood in Poland Before the Holocaust. It's rare to get that kind of praise.

And if told me a week ago we'd be getting that kind of praise, I would have laughed. For weeks, most of us thought this was not going to be a good show. Then, one by one, we got into the galleries and saw just how remarkable the works on view are as a whole. These paintings are by a man who was self-taught and began to work at 73, from memories dating back to before 1934. And he really does bring a lost world to life, in ways that go far beyond the usual romantic notions of the shtetl and that are surprisingly and poignantly gritty and real.

I think, for once, words like "extraordinary" are in order. I hope you come and see. (A reminder that the Museum Mile Festival is on Tuesday, June 9th, in case you are short on funds or time.)

Comments

[skygiants]

Museum Mile Festival? Could you elaborate on this for me? :D

[sdelmonte]

On the second Tuesday of June, the museums located between 82nd and 105th Streets on Fifth Avenue are open for free till 9 pm, and Fifth Avenue is closed to traffic. Several museums have entertainment outside, and there are also street performers. This is a NYC tradition since 1979, and one of my favorite nights of the year (even though I have to work till 9:30). For more info, go here.

[skygiants]

Oooh, that is definitely something I am going to have to check out. Thank you!

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

I am so excited for this exhibit. I also need to remember to tell my mother.

[sdelmonte]

Does your family know Mayer Kirshenblatt?