The CJM Blog

Born into a prominent California family, Warren Hellman created his own enduring legacy in business, culture, and philanthropy. His fortune largely self-made, Warren was known for his keen ability to identify talented people. He established two of America’s premier private equity firms and aided the creation of a large number of successful alternative investment management firms across the US. He is best remembered for his philanthropy and his iconoclastic approach to life. An endurance athlete who competed in long distance running and horseback riding competitions, he was also a musician and music enthusiast who believed in the importance of community arts. Among a host of business and philanthropic accomplishments, Hellman may now be best recognized for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (HSB) which he founded in 2001. Held annually in Golden Gate Park, the festival draws more than 700,000 people.

To accompany the exhibition Project Mah Jongg, The Contemporary Jewish commissioned artist Imin Yeh to create the work Downloadable Paper Mahjong. The exhibition is on view through October 28, 2014. On September 18, Imin sat down with former Curatorial Associate Jeanne Gerrity to discuss her work. Hand crafted Paper Mahjong set created by Imin Yeh Can you tell me a little bit about how you came up with the idea for Paper Mahjong? Growing up, my grandmother had a mah jongg set that I was obsessed with because it was really simple and well-crafted. When I was older and living in China, I was constantly searching for a set as beautiful as this one, but all I could find existed somewhere between fake “antique” sets or commercial glossy new ones. I realized my grandmother’s set was so beautiful because it was so loved and worn, having been touched by hundreds of hands. Underlying many of my more recent projects is this idea of making paper facsimiles of the thing

In That Case collaborator Ron Lynch's "Tomorrow!" the longest-running comedy, variety, and music show in Los Angeles. Photo by Lindsey White. Opening at The Contemporary Jewish Museum on October 23, 2014,  In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art  is based on the Talmudic principle of havruta —the study of religious texts by people in pairs. In That Case encourages learning through fellowship for Bay Area artists, established professionals, museum staff, and the entire CJM community. The root word haver —“friend” in Hebrew—emphasizes the communal nature of learning, and the havruta learning model reflects the Jewish affinity for asking questions and grappling with complex topics, together. Capitalizing on the Jewish perspective inherent to the museum, this program will take havruta and repurpose it for contemporary art. Each local artist invited to participate will be given the opportunity of working with an established writer, scientist, think