A World Apart: Photographs of Hasidic Communities in Israel by Pavel Wolberg
In 1999, Pavel Wolberg (Russian, b. 1966) stumbled upon a Hasidic wedding ceremony at an event hall in Israel, where he was living and working as a photojournalist. Stepping through the door, he felt himself transported to another world, one in which revelry and reverence played essential roles. He went on to photograph a number of Hasidic rituals and ceremonies over the next decade, producing vibrant images that suggest the complex dynamic between individual and group identity.
Wolberg recalls that as a child he was fascinated by stories of demons and tales of moral consequence. Echoes of this affinity and his appreciation for the pageantry of everyday life are palpable in his work. Yet his photography is also informed by a profound understanding of light and its ability to structure perception. Together, the form and content of his work speak volumes about the significance of imagery in social life. Whether “image” is understood as public persona or pictorial construction—or both—it is a fundamental part of how people communicate with each other and with the world around them. Wolberg’s work reminds us of this as he documents his experiences with a culture that is simultaneously strange and familiar to him. His maternal grandfather was a Hasidic Jew, but his encounters with that community had come primarily from walking around his neighborhood until his work on this project began. Immersed in the community yet not a part of it, Wolberg’s work inhabits an intermediary space with much room for reflection.
Contact Manager of Traveling Exhibitions, George Eastman Museum: [email protected]
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Participation Fee | $6,000 + Round trip shipping and Insurance |
| Booking Period | 8 weeks (fee will be prorated for 10 and 12 week bookings) |
| Contents | 18 - 23.5 x 35.5 inch inkjet prints |
| Size | 150 - 200 linear feet (approx) |