
'Three Men', 1920, Boris Aronson
Ben Uri is a gallery specialising in the education of Jewish art and culture. It was founded in 1915 by the Russian emigrant, Lazar Berson. Originally called the Jewish National Decorative Art Association, it was later renamed after Bezalel Ben Uri, a biblical craftsman who created the tabernacle in the Temple of Jerusalem.
The gallery explores many mediums of Jewish creativity, and right now it is exploring the world of
Avant Garde Yiddish Theatre between 1917 - 1929. Looking at the work of Boris Aronson, the exhibition explores both his costume and set designs, with over fifty rare illustrations, books, and photographs that show off his futuristic and cubist style.
After moving to New York in 1923, Aronson worked for the New York Theatre, then went on to win eight Tony Awards for his contributions in Broadway productions.
In this exhibition you will be able to see a timeline of his designs, starting with his 1916
Head and modernist 1920
Self-Potrait, You will also be able to see a 1922
Romeo and Juliet set design, plus costume sketches for
Danses Assidiques,
Two Hassides, and
The Tenth Commandment. This will then be followed up by a series of some of his most ground breaking projects during his time in New York.