Last year, the Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies developed the Mayanot Exhibition Program. The program gives artists the opportunity to exhibit five pieces of their work in the Yeshiva for a period of four months. At the moment, the work of Yitzchok Moully of New Jersey is on display.
Rabbi Yitzchok Moully is the Youth Rabbi at the Chabad Jewish Centre in Basking Ridge, NJ, as well as being an artist. Rabbi Moully has pioneered the ‘Chassidic Pop Art’ style, which combines traditional Jewish and Chassidic images with the vibrant colors and forms associated with Pop Art. Moully’s work has been featured in many publications and was shown on an episode of ‘Oprah’s Next Chapter’ in which Oprah Winfrey visited several Chassidic families.
Mayanot is a desired location for Jewish artists, or artists dealing with Jewish themes, to exhibit their work. Mayanot has become a hub of learning for Jewish adults from across the world. Apart from the students, there are many visitors who come to Mayanot to experience the atmosphere, meet the students, and see the facilities. Thus, the Mayanot Exhibition Program is a good opportunity for artists to gain exposure and have their work viewed.
The program is of benefit both to the artists and to the students at Mayanot. An atmosphere of creativity and beauty is conducive to positive learning. Being surrounded by beautiful artwork enriches the learning and living environment of the students.
Mayanot takes a holistic approach to Jewish learning; we wish to expose our students to all facets of Chassidic life, to show them how Chassidus can have an effect on each part of their lives. The Mayanot Exhibition Program is a demonstration of this as art and Chassidus intersect to create true beauty.