The Jewish Museum Milwaukee will present an exhibit of photographs of great Jewish people — from politicians like Golda Meir to musicians like Leonard Bernstein to artists like Marc Chagall — taken by someone who was himself a great Jewish artist, photographer Arnold Newman.
This exhibit opens Dec. 25 and will run through March 30. Titled “One World One People: Jewish Photographic Portraits by Arnold Newman,” it was produced by the Jewish Museum of Florida, Miami Beach, and is on loan from that institution.
Newman (1918-2006) was considered “the father of environmental portraiture” — i.e., he took portraits of people in carefully considered settings that attempted to express the subject’s work and personality.
For example, the photo on the home page shows Golda Meir in her office with her ever-present cigarette in her hand and, among other things, a photograph of her Milwaukee school in the background.
In the Milwaukee exhibit, each portrait will have a caption containing Newman’s memories of the sitting and its famous subject.
Along with the exhibit are a number of associated programs both at the JMM and in collaboration with the Milwaukee Art Museum:
• Exhibit Opening: “Jewish Portraiture: A Jewish Cinematic Celebration,” Sunday, Dec. 25, 4 p.m.
This will be a musical cinematic tribute to Newman’s subjects Abe Burrows and Jerome Robbins. It will feature the films “West Side Story” (1961) by director and choreographer Robbins, and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (1967) by author and director Burrows. Free with museum admission.
• “Facing the Camera: Photography and Portraiture,” Thursday, Jan. 26, 11 a.m.
Lisa Hostetler, Ph.D., curator of photographs at the Milwaukee Art Museum, will discuss the evolution of art photography. Free for museum members, $5 for non-members.
• “Landscape of the Lens and Beyond: Portrait Photography Mini Course,” Tuesday, Feb. 21, Thursday, Feb. 23, and Tuesday, Feb. 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Local artist and photography expert Jim Seder will present the many strategies and techniques used to create unique and insightful portraits. Participants will need to provide their own cameras and equipment. $36 for museum members and $45 for non-members
• “One-Hour Exhibition: Portraits on Paper,” Tuesday, March 20, 1:30 p.m.
The Milwaukee Art Museum will present its March “One-Hour Exhibition” program in conjunction with the Newman exhibit. This series liberates works on paper from the museum’s vault, where the light-sensitive art is stored, allowing visitors the opportunity to see it firsthand and unframed. Cost: Milwaukee Art Museum admission fee; free for MAM members.
• Portrait Display Collaboration, Dec. 12-April 1.
In collaboration with this exhibit, the Milwaukee Art Museum will mount an installation of photographic portraits in its mezzanine space. Included will be Newman’s portraits of artists Piet Mondrian and Jean Cocteau which are part of MAM’s photography collection.
For more information about the exhibit, contact JMM, 414-390-5730 or info@jewishmuseum mil waukee.org.
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