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18/4/2003

Words on Fire Festival

City and Suburban Venues, Boston

THOUGHT-PROVOKING ART EXHIBITS HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANCE OF WRITTEN WORD AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

City and Suburban Venues Host Diverse Exhibits Through Mid-May as Part of "Words on Fire" Festival

BOSTON - Dozens of artists have come together to create exhibits honoring the importance of the written word as part of "Words on Fire," an arts and humanities festival being held to mark the 70th anniversary of the massive Nazi Book Burnings that took place in Berlin on May 10, 1933. The festival, which began on March 13 and runs through May 11, explores themes evoked by this seminal event, such as freedom of expression and the methods and the reasons that have been used to silence writers throughout history and into the 21st century.

"The diversity of the art exhibits put together for 'Words on Fire' is astonishing," said Shoshana Pakciarz, executive director of the New Center for Arts and Culture, which is sponsoring "Words on Fire" as its inaugural event. "From 'Writer's Block,' an art installation that is highly evocative of the Nazi Book Burnings, to the exhibits that use new technologies to explore the nature of books in the digital age, every exhibit offers a thought-provoking look at how we value freedom of expression and the printed word."

Here is the "Words on Fire" art exhibit calendar:

Boston Public Library - Through May 11
Copley Square, Boston
Writer's Block - an installation by Sheryl Oring - A living memorial to the book burnings in Germany in 1933, this sculpture features hundreds of vintage typewriters collected in Europe and put in 16 metal cages. The result is a symbolic statement about censorship that leads viewers to examine their own ideas about free expression.

A Meeting of Minds by Susan Erony and Erika Marquardt
- This collaboration reflects on Jewish and German cultures in pre-war Germany. The two artists have a long history of working together addressing their heritage as children, respectively of Jewish refugees and Nazi leaders. This piece was commissioned by the New Center for Arts and Culture; it accompanies Writer's Block and interacts with it, both conceptually and visually.

Black Books: The First African American Authors - Curated by Dr. Lois Brown and organized by the Museum of Afro-American History

- This exhibit presents a number of influential works written and published by African Americans: the first black works published abroad, copies of the first African American newspapers; periodicals illustrations and other examples of groundbreaking African American print culture.

Judi Rotenberg Gallery - April 19 through May 18
130 Newbury Street, Boston
Illuminated Manuscript and Talmud by David Small
- Featured at Documenta 11 in Kassel, Germany, and presented in conjunction with the Boston Cyberarts Festival, David Small's exhibit explores the nature of the book in the digital age, as a dynamic and kinetic visual experience with two interactive electronic books Illuminated Manuscript explores the notion of freedom and Talmud looks at this ancient Jewish interactive text in the context of new technologies.

Mobius - April 26 through May 18
354 Congress Street, Boston
The Book Reconsidered, curated by Deborah Davidson
- Thirteen emerging and established artists explore books as subject matter, either by transforming, altering or laying claim to them. These artists all have a special relationship to the written word, and explore themes such as the sanctity of books and what it means to change them.

Perkins Gallery - April 13 through May 11
Striar Jewish Community Center, 445 Central Street, Stoughton
People of the Book: The Power of Words by Mark Cooper, Striar community and the Greater Boston arts community
- Sculptor Mark Cooper creates a large-scale sculpture entitled, "Free Speech", that responds to a collection of words offered by the community. The piece is a positive gesture representing words that represent thoughts, dreams and hopes and collectively create a portrait of the community. An accompanying installation features altered books created by artists from the Greater Boston community.

Starr Gallery - March 23 through May 18
Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center, 333 Nahanton Street, Newton Center
Women of the Book: Jewish Artists, Jewish Themes, curated by Judith A. Hoffberg
- This exhibit features bookworks created by an international group of Jewish women artists Ranging from personal narrative to liturgy and literature, the works explore the intimacy and the universality of the book within the Jewish tradition.

Participating Newbury Street and South End Galleries will each showcase a work by an artist that evokes the Words on Fire themes.

Galleries include:
Allston Skirt Gallery
Alpha Gallery
Arden Gallery
Barbara Krakow Gallery
Bernard Toale Gallery
Beth Urdang Gallery
Clifford·Smith Gallery
Gallery NAGA
Howard Yezerski Gallery

Judi Rotenberg Gallery
Kidder Smith Gallery
Judy Ann Goldman Fine Art
Nielson Gallery
Miller Block Gallery
Pucker Gallery
OH+T Gallery

Thursday, May 8th
Type of Event: Lecture/Conversation
What: An Evening with the Words on Fire Artists
A provocative evening featuring artists and curators of the Words on Fire exhibits. They will explore underlying themes of Words on Fire in relation to their art as well as commonalities and differences in approaching this subject matter
Where: Boston Public Library, Rabb Lecture Hall
When: 7:00 PM
Admission: FREE

Mary Baker Eddy Library-ongoing
The Hall of Ideas-200 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston
The Library features the work of David Small and Howard Ben Tre.
They have created an installation of a sculpture that acts as a fountain constantly changing quotes from history's most influential thinkers. Projected words spill onto the floor and become great ideas.

About the New Center for Arts and Culture
The New Center for Arts and Culture is a new multi-disciplinary cultural institution that seeks "to build community by exploring Jewish culture and the interconnectedness of all cultures, creating a dynamic setting that inspires artistic excellence, welcomes diversity, nurtures creativity and encourages participation in the arts and humanities." Offering its first program, "Words on Fire," at venues throughout Greater Boston in the spring of 2003, the New Center's plans include building a community gathering place in downtown Boston. The New Center for Arts and Culture will offer high-level programs in the visual arts, humanities and the performing arts. Through its programs the New Center is committed to building common ground by creating dialogue and collaboration, a cultural commons that will contribute to building "One Boston through Arts and Culture."

For more information on "Words on Fire"
or on the New Center for Arts and Culture, call 617-558-6593 or visit the web site.

CONTACT:
Harron Ellenson
Harron & Associates
617-267-7366

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