The CJM Blog

Photo: Malcolm Margolin reading  A Menu for Recognizing Invisible Forces  by  Helena Keeffe and Jessica Prentice.  Courtesy of Helena Keeffe. When Helena and I first met and began the conversation about collaborating on a Havruta project, she asked me what I was reading. It happened to be The Ohlone Way by Malcolm Margolin, and she mentioned that she had also read much of it. This book became the inspiration for many of our conversations as it wove in many of our shared interests.

A Menu for Recognizing Invisible Forces by Helena Keeffe and Jessica Prentice In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art is based on the Talmudic principle of havruta —the study of religious texts by people in pairs. 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. Each local artist invited to participate is given the opportunity of working with an established writer, scientist, thinker, or academic in a field of their choosing. For the second iteration of In That Case , San Francisco artist Helena Keeffe  collaborated with Richmond, CA-based chef and food activist Jessica Prentice . Helena spoke about the collaboration with Curatorial Associate Claire Frost.