The Modern and the New

Monday 5th April - Sunday 23rd May 2004

The Modern and the New is an exhibition of dialogues between past and present: between a vibrant range of contemporary Jewish artists and works by modern masters. The exhibition looks both forward and back: forward towards the future of painting, drawing, sculpture and print-making by Jewish artists in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States and back to the ferment of the ‘Modern’ represented by Epstein, Bomberg, Gertler and other artists in the early and mid-twentieth century. The ‘New’ range from young graduates of art schools (such as Raphael Pepper and Rick Morris Pushinsky in this country and Ben Wood in the US) to more seasoned professionals, including the American living in Prague, Bob Horvitz, and the British Royal Academician and Pop sculptor, Ivor Abrahams. The ‘Modern’ section highlights some of the most important works from the Ben Uri’s Permanent Collection, including its newly-acquired painting by Emmanuel Levy: the extraordinary 1942 composition Crucifixion.

An exciting opportunity to assess the ‘state of practice’ by Jewish contemporary artists whilst re-examining the diversity of the Ben Uri’s own collections, The Modern and the New will be a challenging and stimulating Spring highlight at the Ben Uri.

For further information please contact Richard Aronowitz-Mercer on 020 7604 3991 or by email at richard@benuri.org.uk