The CJM Blog

Jessica winnowing nigella seeds for A Salad of Wild Weeds and Seeds   Photo by Helena Keeffe For the second iteration of The Contemporary Jewish Museum's  In That Case :  Havruta  in Contemporary Art , San Francisco artist Helena Keeffe collaborated with Richmond, CA-based chef and food activist Jessica Prentice. They reflect on art, working together, and what is "necessary." Helena Keeffe (HK) : Jessica, when I first approached you about working together I was nervous that the art context wouldn't interest you, but I knew you had worked with artists as a chef at Headlands Center for the Arts, so I figured there was a chance. Museums make artwork and other cultural artifacts available to the public in a way that is quite different than publishing a book or making food available through social entrepreneurship. What were your thoughts when I first presented this opportunity? Be honest!

In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art  Helena Keeffe and Jessica Prentice  Photo by Johnna Arnold. The Contemporary Jewish Museum's (CJM) Associate Curator Lily Siegel and Curatorial Associate Claire Frost sat down to discuss working with artists and looking at contemporary art. In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art is an ongoing exhibition program at The CJM that encourages learning through fellowship for Bay Area artists, established professionals, museum staff, and the entire CJM community.   

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.

On October 23, 2014, Nathaniel Deutsch, professor of literature and history and co-director of the Center for Jewish Studies at UC Santa Cruz introduces the practice of havruta. I would like to start by pointing out how ironic it is to be presenting the topic of  Hevruta  or  Hevrusa  (the traditional Ashkenazi way of pronouncing the word) in the form of a lecture. Me standing in front of you; talking at you, as it were. Why it’s ironic should hopefully become clear in the next few minutes and is the subject of my remarks tonight.

Lindsey White,  Steal Ditch Switch , 2014. C-print, 2014     Artist Lindsey White was interviewed by CJM Associate Curator Lily Siegel about what is going on  In That Case:  Havruta  in Contemporary Art . White is the first artist to participate in this collaborative series. She chose to work with Los Angeles-based comedian and performer Ron Lynch. Both artists have an affinity for challenging expected modes of visual presentation.  What is the most exciting part of In That Case for you? Most people don’t think about artists as being researchers, but we are. Artists are always asking funny questions and stealing time from various people. So the chance to go above board and connect with one of my heroes is a singular opportunity.

Installation of   In That Case   with Lindsey White and Ron Lynch  is under way. In That Case :  Havruta  in Contemporary Art  brings individual Bay Area artists together with a scholar, scientist, writer, or other thinker of his or her choice for a ten-week fellowship in creativity. The resulting collaborations will be presented in The Museum’s Sala Webb Education Center.

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...