Little Altars Everywhere

Passover sader has been served, and Easter Sunday has come and gone. But religion will continue to take center stage at the Village Studios & Gallery through month’s end as part of a temporary exhibit on display at the West Greenville art space.

Photographer Heidi Heilbrunn, who took a trans-Atlantic flight to explore and document her Jewish-German ancestry, showcases images of items left behind by her family after they escaped Nazi persecution. Fine artist Jacqueline Shapiro Rosen, meanwhile, takes a more light-hearted look at religion with her contemporary altar boxes. Together, these artists have combined their efforts to put on a dual show (their first together), chock full of artwork that’s sure to spark religious-inflected conversation: “Boxes and Baggage: From Roots to Right Now.”

Heilbrunn’s photography aims to capture the paradox of having a Jewish-German ancestry, also exploring her personal journey of faith and family.

And Rosen’s assemblages, modern-day altar boxes fashioned from cigar boxes, are nothing if not conversation pieces. She received a Metropolitan Arts Council grant for her box-assemblage work, and the results has been “almost exposing,” Rosen says.

Traditionally, an altar box from the late-Gothic/Renaissance era (when art was commissioned by the Church and created at its highest standards) would have been made from ornate wood; the central figure would have been Jesus or the Virgin Mary; and apostles would have surrounded that central figure. Rosen interprets this art form to create a commentary about the watering down of art and religion. Cheap cigar boxes house the assemblage; the key figure is church signage, which she has photographed (with sayings such as, “Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads,” and “Pray for the harvest, but don’t stop hoeing”); and the sign is then surrounded by various materials that explore the concept of what we worship.

“It’s not just church signs. It’s about what people worship. We worship food. Shopping. Finding a good deal,” she offers. “That’s where I want to start going. My new pieces push in that direction.” Indeed, the whole medium is a new artistic avenue for Rosen, whose paintings and photographs have appeared in the Tampa Tribune and been shown in galleries throughout Florida, California, and South Carolina. She also has taught and led art programs at prestigious art schools on both coasts.

“It is my nature as an art educator to challenge traditional views and to create stimulating conversations about art,” Rosen says. “I’m happy to have another medium. I have a better way of expressing what I want to say. It’s almost exposing because it’s very much my head in these boxes.”

Both artists, through their work, offer an interesting commentary on religion and family. Be sure to stop by, and be part of the conversation.

The Village Gallery & Studios is located at 1278 Pendleton Street, in West Greenville. “Boxes and Baggage” will be on display through April 30. For more information, visit www.villageartstudios.com or call (864) 295-9278.

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