Photographs copyright © 2023 by Elinor Carucci. All rights reserved.
Submitted by Hebrew Union College
The Skirball Museum of Hebrew Union College (HUC) is pleased to present Elinor Carucci’s photographs of the collars of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. On Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 5:30 pm in Mayerson Hall there will be an opening reception and book signing of the artist’s fifth monograph, “The Collars of Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Portrait of Justice,” written with Sara Bader and published in 2023.
Elinor Carucci (b. 1971), who will speak about her work at the event, is an Israeli-American photographer of Mizrahi Jewish descent, who immigrated to New York in 1995. Her work exploring intimate personal spaces with her own body and family has garnered awards from the ICP (2001), the Guggenheim Foundation (2002) and NYFA (2010). Her photographs encompass an intimate portrait of her family (Closer, 2002); mending partnerships (Crisis, 2003); a behind-the-scenes look at dancing from the artist’s perspective (Diary of a Dancer, 2005); the early life of her children (Mother, 2013); and aging (Midlife, 2019).
A month after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020), Carucci was hired by “Time” magazine to photograph the collars of RBG as a commemorative piece. The twenty-five neckpieces captured in these photographs offer insight into RBG’s legacy. Each one, whether bold, ornate or subversive, is a powerful point of entry for exploring Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life and her tireless work on America’s highest court. The stories behind these collars honor the lives she touched, the freedoms she defended and the Supreme Court opinions that changed the course of history.
Complementing Carucci’s photographs in the exhibition is a selection of jewelry and amulets from the collection of the Skirball Museum. Like the collars, these objects of material culture explore the societal and religious aspects of adornment throughout history.
Public programs in association with the exhibition include a Lunch and Learn with guest curator Abby Schwartz on Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 12 noon. A light lunch will be followed by an illustrated overview of the exhibition and a walkthrough. As a special bonus, Schwartz will also comment on the retrospective exhibition of the works of renowned artist Mark Podwal (1945-2024) that will be on view in Mayerson Auditorium concurrent with “The Collars of RBG.” On December 2 at 7 pm, Schwartz will offer an illustrated talk in which she will discuss the RBG collars as well as jewelry and amulets in the Skirball’s collection as reflections of symbol, function and beauty.
