By Julia Olson
Assistant Editor
The Skirball Museum on the Cincinnati Campus of Hebrew Union College will host an opening reception for a new exhibition on Thursday, October 31, at 5:30 p.m.
“Sacred Land” is an exhibition that depicts ancient and contemporary facets of the land of Israel. According to the Skirball website, “The photographs convey the fundamental humanity and underlying affinities that connect all who deem this land as sacred, and express aspirations for mutual understanding and peace.” The exhibition features the photographs of American photographer Ralph Gibson who captured the images as a first time visitor to Israel. The museum’s website describes Gibson’s work as conveying a deeper meaning in “the details, a particular gesture, a candid pose, a fragment, a moment….The essence of the images is their intimacy, we are drawn close to people, places, things, the instantaneous and the eternal. Their juxtaposition reveals the convergence of antiquity and modernity.”
Gibson’s work seeks to highlight the contrasts of modernity and antiquity in Israel’s residents, buildings, and landscapes. He describes the land as “the oldest and youngest country in the world.” Gibson explores the nature of timelessness in his work, juxtaposing ancient etched stones with modern graffiti, or desert landscapes and modern buildings. The Skirball exhibit website describes Gibson’s work as illustrating “the complexity and multiplicity of this sacred land — across ethnicities, faiths, and transcending the millennia. His images are captured in the moment — sometimes dramatic, sometimes reflective, always riveting. They express the universal humanity of each being, the transcendence of time, and the pulse of life.”
Gibson’s work has been included in 170 museum collections around the world. Those interested in attending the opening event for “Sacred Land” can RSVP on the Skirball Cincinnati website. The exhibit will be on display at the museum until February 23, 2025.
