Art exhibit explores nature themes for Jewish holiday

DAILY CALIFORNIAN
By Anna Carrey

Deborah Lozier and Velvet da Vinci/Courtesy

CALIFORNIA - The launching point for the “Do Not Destroy: Trees, Art and Jewish Thought” exhibit at the Contemporary Jewish Museum is a commandment from the Old Testament: “When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, but thou shalt not cut them down.” Although the ties to Jewish philosophy are powerful throughout, the exhibit’s primary message draws on the universality of trees, their societal importance and aesthetic appeal. All depicting the same loaded subject, the artists each bestow their own significance to the tree. The incredibly diverse artworks collectively convey a conception of a tree that should never be destroyed. [link]