Picture a Jewish man. How is he dressed? In a broad-brimmed hat and black coat? The association is understandable, but these sartorial trappings are characteristic of one particular Jewish culture, Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidism. In fact, the millennia of Jewish diaspora have yielded an oft-overlooked variety of aesthetics that fulfill the 613 mitzvot (commandments). Among the lesser-known communities, for instance, are the Jewish cowboys who observed halakhah (Jewish law) while farming the fertile fields of Argentina.
“Southern Exposure: The Jews of Argentina,” opening Oct. 4 at the Jewish Museum Milwaukee, is an introduction to the history and culture of Latin America’s largest Jewish community and the sixth largest Jewish community in the world. The original exhibition was conceived and curated by the expert scholars and storytellers at the Jewish Museum Milwaukee. Themes include historical happenings that drove Jews from Europe in the 19th century as well as Argentina’s neutrality during World War II, making it a haven for Jews and Nazis both.
“Southern Exposure: The Jews of Argentina” is on display until Jan. 17, 2016.
Red Leaf ARToberfest
Charles Allis Art Museum
1801 N. Prospect Ave.
Fall is a season when Mother Nature is particularly seductive for artists. The golden hues of ripening leaves confound the painter’s palette and fall holds the year’s last days of pleasant outdoor conditions. Red Leaf ARToberfest Arts & Crafts Marketplace at the Charles Allis features more than 25 art and craft exhibitors selling their paintings, pottery, photography, felting, jewelry, textiles and other wares. Lunch fare, Oktoberfest beer and live music will be on hand in the special beer garden. The $5 admission includes guided museum tours at 1 and 3 p.m. ARToberfest takes place at the Charles Allis Art Museum on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 11-5 p.m.
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Paintings of Plymouth
Plymouth Arts Center
520 E. Mill St., Plymouth
For the past week artists from across Wisconsin and beyond have installed their easels around the city of Plymouth in pursuit of truth, beauty and cash awards totaling $2,700. The Plymouth Arts Center’s annual “Paint the Town, En Plein Air” goes on display Friday, Oct. 2 with a reception from 6-9 p.m. Complimentary hor d’oeuvres, cash bar, music and a silent auction round out the freshly painted paintings of Plymouth. Molly Johnson, executive director of the Academy of Fine Art in Denmark, Wis., will judge this year’s competition and announce the victorious at 7:30 p.m.
