Jewish Museum Presents In Conversation: DANIEL LIBESKIND AND JOAN ROSENBAUM

The Jewish Museum will present In Conversation: Daniel Libeskind and Joan Rosenbaum on Thursday, December 2 at 6:30 pm. Internationally renowned architect Daniel Libeskind will join Joan Rosenbaum, Director of The Jewish Museum, to discuss how his work embodies Jewish sensibilities. This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition, A Hanukkah Project: Daniel Libeskind's Line of Fire, on view from November 19, 2010 to January 30, 2011.

In Conversation: Daniel Libeskind and Joan Rosenbaum is part of Light x Eight: Hanukkah 2010 at The Jewish Museum. This annual celebration features eclectic music, family festivities, provocative talk and more. A complete guide to Hanukkah at The Jewish Museum can be found at http://www.TheJewishMuseum.org/Hanukkah2010.

Tickets for this program are $20 for the general public, and $18 for Jewish Museum members. For further information regarding programs at The Jewish Museum, the public may call 212.423.3337. Tickets for lectures, film screenings and concerts at The Jewish Museum can now be purchased online at the Museum's web site, http://www.TheJewishMuseum.org.

For A Hanukkah Project: Daniel Libeskind's Line of Fire, Daniel Libeskind, an international figure in architecture and urban design, has created a bold and dramatic installation featuring 40 Hanukkah lamps from the Museum's renowned collection. Focused on the central ritual of Hanukkah - the kindling of flames in commemoration of an ancient victory for religious freedom - Libeskind's design interprets Hanukkah through an evocative metaphor for the spiritual power of fire. The Line of Fire, a jagged structure in brilliant red that diagonally bisects the gallery, serves as a pedestal for the Hanukkah lamps, and symbolizes the flames of the lamps lit on the holiday. The irregular lines and angles of the Line of Fire are a recurring feature in Libeskind's work, where they often signify the continuity of Jewish existence through sudden changes in circumstances, some of them catastrophic. The selection of Hanukkah lamps exemplifies the diversity of the Museum's collection, from an 18th century work made from the helmet shield of a Hessian soldier who fought in the American Revolution, to a 19th century East European silver menorah that was lit by President George W. Bush at the White House, to Karim Rashid's 2004 Menoramorph, made from neon green silicon.

Also on view is a 1985 Hanukkah lamp by noted architect Richard Meier, who fashioned each candleholder into an architectural representation from significant moments of persecution in Jewish history. Lamps from Austria, Germany, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and the United States are included ranging from the 17th to the 21st century.

Daniel Libeskind is one of the most important architects working today, celebrated for his ability to infuse innovative design with a strong sense of memory and history. He has designed a multitude of structures, from museums and concert halls to convention centers and universities. His projects include the Jewish museums in Berlin, San Francisco and Denmark, as well as the master plan for the World Trade Center.

An infrared assistive listening system for the hearing impaired is available for programs in the Museum's S. H. and Helen R. Scheuer Auditorium.

Public Programs at The Jewish Museum are supported, in part, by public funds from by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Major annual support is provided by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency. The audio-visual system has been funded by New York State Assembly Member Jonathan Bing.

About The Jewish Museum
Widely admired for its exhibitions and educational programs that inspire people of all backgrounds, The Jewish Museum is the preeminent United States institution exploring the intersection of 4,000 years of art and Jewish culture. The Jewish Museum was established in 1904, when Judge Mayer Sulzberger donated 26 ceremonial art objects to The Jewish Theological Seminary of America as the core of a museum collection. Today, the Museum maintains an important collection of 26,000 objects-paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, archaeological artifacts, ceremonial objects, and broadcast media.

General Information
Museum hours are Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, 11am to 5:45pm; Thursday, 11am to 8pm; and Friday, 11am to 4pm. Museum admission is $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for senior citizens, $7.50 for students, free for children under 12 and Jewish Museum members. Admission is free on Saturdays. For general information on The Jewish Museum, the public may visit the Museum's website at http://www.thejewishmuseum.org or call 212.423.3200. The Jewish Museum is located at 1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street, Manhattan.