Planning

The LABALMA Body ProjectA collaboration of artists from LABA: The National Laboratory for

New Jewish Culture at the 14th Street Y in New York City and Alma Home for Hebrew Culture in Tel-Aviv.

The LABALMA Body Projectis an artistic exploration of the body in relation to Jewish text and contemporary culture

exploring how the body can be interpreted on an axis combining contemporary and ancient perspectives, everyday experience and the spiritual and ritual realm.

PlanningA generous grant from UJA-Federation of New York enabled the LABA and Alma College staff to meet face-to-face to plan and develop the joint LABALMA curriculum, engage in text study, meet with both communities’ artists, develop the LABALMA catalog project, and plan for the culminating LABALMA Body Project Exhibition as well as the next phase of the collaboration. The Body was the joint theme both institutions used as core curricula for groups of working, learning artists for the 2008-09 program year.

Timeline:

• Workshop #1 - September 2008, Alma College, Tel Aviv, Israel

• Workshop #2 - November 2008, 14th Street Y, New York, NY

• Workshop #3 - July 20 - 24, Alma College, Tel Aviv, Israel

• The LABALMA Body Project- October 12-18, 2009, 14th Street Y, New York, NY

Artist Collaboration• Co-curated by Anat Litwin of LABA and Eran Ehrlich of Alma, in collaboration with LABA

Curator Tzili Charney. • Participating Artists: Mor Arkadir, Alma / Shlomit Cohen, Alma / Lisa DeLoria Weinblatt,

LABA /  Yoav Gal, LABA / Josh Geldzahler, LABA / Hili Greenfeld, Alma / Myriam Haccoun, Alma / Masha Haccoun Pozdniakov, Alma / Amelia Morgan, LABA /  Amanda Miller, LABA / Odeya Nini, LABA / Michaella (Micah) Orstav, Alma / Ruth Oppenheim, LABA / Keren Paz, Alma / Anna Pinkas, LABA / Hadara Rabinowitz, Alma / Porat Salomon, Alma / Maya Shapira, Alma / Serge Strosberg, LABA / Manju Shandler, LABA / David Tirosh, LABA / Gil Yefman, Alma / Jesse Zaritt, LABA

Co-curators Anat Litwin (LABA) and Eran Ehrlich (Alma) Faculty member Ruby Namdar (LABA) and Artist Gil Yefman (Alma)

The LABALMA Body Project

• The exhibition runs October 17 to November 17, 2009 at the 14th Street Y.

• The art exhibition is accompanied by a full color, Hebrew-English Body catalog of art & articles by LABA and Alma artists and staff

• Alma artists Myriam Haccoun, Porat Salomon, and Gil Yefman, Curator Eran Ehrlich, and Founder and Executive Director Dr. Ruth Calderon traveled to New York for the week of October 12-18 to install the exhibition, participate in various events, and study and interact with LABA artists and the 14th Street Y community.

LABA and Alma artists study Jewish text together at the 14th Street Y in New York

EventsThursday, October 15, 2009The Alma artists joined the LABA Artist Fellows in their monthly meeting. The artists studied text together exploring the theme of Pardes (The Orchard), the current year’s shared programmatic theme. After the study session, the artists presented their work to the 14th Street Y staff, followed by a lunch reception.

Artists Ronit Muzkatblit (LABA), Myriam Haccoun (Alma) and Julie Gayer (LABA) study together

Artist Porat Salomon explains his photo to the 14 th Street Y staff

Friday, October 16, 2009An invitation only VIP brunch and learn was held at the 14th Street Y. Dr. Ruth Calderon and Stephen Hazan Arnoff led a discussion on Sefer Bereshit/The Book of Genesis. The Alma artists had the opportunity to discuss the collaboration with leaders in the Jewish community.

Events

Dr. Ruth Calderon (Alma) teaches at the VIP brunch and learn at the 14th Street Y

Curator Anat Litwin leads the VIP guests on a tour of the gallery

Saturday, October 17, 2009Over 150 people attended the official opening of The LABALMA Body Project Exhibition. The celebration included an opening reception and Y Dance Party.

Events

The 14th Street Y Executive Director Stephen Hazan Arnoff with a copy of The LABALMA Body Catalog

Guests enjoy the exhibition

Sunday, October 18, 2009The weekend concluded with the LABALMA Body Project Symposium: Study and Dialog with Stephen Hazan Arnoff, Dr. Ruth Calderon and Ruby Namdar (LABA faculty member), followed by a keynote presentation by author Melvin Konner (The Jewish Body) and Gabe Sanders (Tablet Magazine).

Events

Stephen Hazan Arnoff, Dr. Ruth Calderon and Ruby Namdar lead study and dialog.

The Symposium

Review from The Forward (Nov 6, 2009 Edition)

• “The LABALMA Body Project, a multimedia art exhibit running at New York’s 14th Street Y until November 17, explores ideas of physicality in a genuine, contemplative and engaging way.”

• “For $10 the exhibit’s catalog, written in Hebrew and English, is a must-have.”

• “Their exhibit gives viewers an opportunity to see provocative works (the more provocative tending to be from the ALMA fellows) in an area that’s close to the bone, literally and metaphorically. The exhibit is a forum for the fellows’ contemplation of the body and its significance in Jewish life and culture.”Review by Jordana Horn “Ice” (Keren Paz, 2009)

Special Thanks to All Project Partners.

For more information:

[email protected]