Gallery

Rochester Art Center is pleased to present Rima: Passages in Sephardic Sculpture, a solo exhibition by artist Rotem Tamir. The exhibition offers a profound exploration of ancient craft traditions interwoven with themes of cultural heritage, familial ties, and the resilience of women across generations.

In this captivating exhibition, Tamir delves into the domestic and communal practices linked to her Southwest Asian and North African heritage. Through sculptures and installations, she reflects on demanding domestic tasks traditionally associated with women, such as the crafting of wool mattresses, the preparation of the Iraqi dish kubbeh, and intricate fabric-making. These tasks, often requiring immense sacrifice, are depicted in Tamir’s work as both a celebration of women’s strength and a meditation on the personal cost of tradition.

Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in a sensory experience that bridges past and present, as Tamir weaves a rich tapestry of cultural artifacts, sounds, and symbols. At the heart of the exhibition is a round mattress, a powerful symbol of the infinite spiral of existence. Sound artist Nir Jacob Younessi collaborates with Tamir, infusing the space with traditional Jewish songs sung by Tamir’s father and maternal grandmother, echoing the enduring power of oral traditions.

Tamir also incorporates elements of her personal history, including a conceptual chandelier made of pine rosin bubbles, evoking the timeless elegance of crystal chandeliers and honoring her Aunt Lisa’s daily candle-lighting rituals. The domestic space, crucial to these traditions, is embodied in interactive installations that invite visitors to engage with the artwork intimately.

Rima: Passages in Sephardic Sculpture is a multilayered exhibition that resonates with universal themes of identity, memory, and transformation. Tamir’s work invites us to consider the invisible threads that connect us to our ancestors, urging us to reflect on the beauty and burden of our cultural legacies.