ThoughtGallery.org > That’s the “Old Country”?: European Jewish Life in Photos, 1900-1939

That’s the “Old Country”?: European Jewish Life in Photos, 1900-1939

Exploring the work of Jewish photographers in Poland and Lithuania during the pre-war decades reveals extraordinarily skilled and avant-garde professionals, whose output and subjects can subvert what we think we know about the “old country.” Jews often appear distinctly modern, countering our expectations of “traditional” Jewish appearance. They frequently portrayed themselves among non-Jewish friends and in secular contexts, not as “a people apart.” Even after 1939, Jews operated studios in several Nazi ghettos, and engaged in what would later be termed “street photography,” leaving a body of work which has yet to be examined and appreciated. Historian Michael Berkowitz explores the work and world of these photographers, giving us an understanding of their self-presentation and photographic practices.











When: Wed., Apr. 5, 2017 at 7:00 pm
Where: The 92nd Street Y, New York
1395 Lexington Ave.
212-415-5500
Price: $29
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Exploring the work of Jewish photographers in Poland and Lithuania during the pre-war decades reveals extraordinarily skilled and avant-garde professionals, whose output and subjects can subvert what we think we know about the “old country.” Jews often appear distinctly modern, countering our expectations of “traditional” Jewish appearance. They frequently portrayed themselves among non-Jewish friends and in secular contexts, not as “a people apart.” Even after 1939, Jews operated studios in several Nazi ghettos, and engaged in what would later be termed “street photography,” leaving a body of work which has yet to be examined and appreciated. Historian Michael Berkowitz explores the work and world of these photographers, giving us an understanding of their self-presentation and photographic practices.

Buy tickets/get more info now