Too Jewish?: Challenging Traditional Identities
In this companion volume to a major exhibition currently on display at the Jewish Museum of New York, artists, including Deborah Kass, Rona Pondick, Archie Rand, Art Spiegelman, and Hannah Wilke explore Jewish identity through contemporary art and pop culture. The illustrations are thought-provoking, sometimes quite humorous, and usually very off-beat. The illustrations aim to make the viewer uncomfortable enough to reflect on identity. Like any minority, American Jews have never felt completely at peace in the host culture. They have often used humor to deal with the conflicts and pressures involved in conforming to the dominant norm. Editor and curator Kleeblatt also offers incisive essays by cultural critic Maurice Berger, sociologist Sander Gilman, playwright Tony Kushner, and other major voices about being Jewish today. The book is ably produced with a clean, easy-to-read layout. There are copious notes and bibliographies after each essay to point the way for readers interested in further research. Recommended for libraries strong in the arts or serving a Jewish clientele.?Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., Ill.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.