MEMORY, AUTOBIOGRAPHY,

AND AMERICAN JEWISH LIFE

a John and Rose Herman and Hortense Hernial? Alper Lecture
by

STEVEN WEILAND

Left: Ferne Jacobs: "Unfolding
Wttei;" waxed linen thread. This
wall piece is 4 feet long and has
shades of blue and green to achieve
the 6ifects of a cascading waterfall.

Michigan State University

This lecture will explore the history of
American-Jewish autobiography and focus
on recent work by Joseph Heller, Ann
Roiphe, and others. Professor Weiland will
examine: How has American-Jewish
autobiography reflected the evolution of
American Jews? What do American-Jewish
autobiographers remember that makes their
writing distinctive? What is the impact of
American-Jewish autobiographies on their
readers? What role does autobiography
play in the identities of American Jews?

Below: Ferne Jacobs:
"Sefirot,” 1998, waxed linen.
This 4-foot wall sculpture,
made of numerous, ribbon-like
spirals interconnecting 10
circles, represents the levels
of knowing God.

SUNDAY • NOVEMBER 21 • 4:00 PM

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5

who has been a fiber artist
since the 1970s and has lec-
tured at Cranbrook and the
Center for Creative Studies. "I
have visual diaries."
Water is an important
image in a number of Jacobs'
sculptures. "Unfolding Water,"
for example, is 4 feet long and
has shades of blue and green
to achieve the effects of% cas-
cading waterfall.
Jacobs, whose sculptures
have been exhibited in other
countries as well as the
United States, has been pub-
lished in numerous magazines
and books. She has received
three National Endowment
for the Arts grants and was
named a fellow of the
American Craft Council.
Cooperman, who says his
artistry was in part sensitized
by the ornate Reform temple
he attended as a youngster,
does not express religious out-
looks in his projects. Rather, he
thinks of the work as wearable
sculpture that fosters discourse
and considers spirals as giving a
sense of movement and poten-
tial energy
to the viewer.
b.
"Spirals also represent con-
trol and precision," says
Cooperman, who is based in
Seattle. "It's almost a perfect
form. I use the spiral in
Mainspring #2, one in a neck-
piece series."

Another theme important

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to Cooperman's jewelry is reve-
lation and concealment. Some
mixed metal surfaces flare,
opening to reveal gems or fos-
silized organic matter, such as
sea urchin spines and animal
teeth. The organic matter
relates to the artist's interest in
the environment and animals.
"My works have been about
things going on beneath the
surface," Cooperman explains.