"Unity" Installation exhibited at the Contemporary Photography and Visual Art Center's Gallery (CEPA Gallery)

I was introduced to curator Robert Hirsch through e-mail. Veronique Cote, curator and Director of FAU Galleries said he might be interested in some of my work. As a result "Unity" a photographic tile mural was evolved into an installation that is on display in "The Power of Resilience and Hope - Photography and the Holocaust: Then & Now, Buffalo, New York, January 20 – May 1, 2024. The artwork is composed of a 24-piece tile mural, wooden shelf and frame and 50 porcelain children's shoes. Personal photographs taken in 2017 in Israel form the image. "Unity", pictures Jews in the unifying act of prayer. Shot at the Kotel (The Western Wall) photographs of Jews from around the world; Mizrahi Jews, Ashkenazi Jews, Ethiopian Jews create my "Unity" image. Water is used as a symbol of purification. An IDF soldier stands as a protector. The Mogen David flag flies proudly along his side. Porcelain is used to create ceramic replicas of contemporary childrens shoes. Historically, porcelain is a material of value and transformation. The shoes reference the past lost generations and symbolize hope for the future. The Kotel for me is a space where the Jewish soul is alive and preserved. Israel is the homeland of the Jewish People. This artwork symbolizes that home. Here are some photos of the artwork being installed.