Berkeley art exhibit draws Jewish outrage

In the center of one canvas is an outline of a Kalashnikov rifle inscribed with the words "Piece Now!" — "piece" being slang for "gun." On another is a kaffiyeh-draped Palestinian man, blood dripping from his hands, a spherical bomb affixed to his chest. And the fuse is lit.

Those are two of the artworks on display at an exhibit titled "Justice Matters: Artists Consider Palestine" at the Berkeley Art Center.

The exhibit, which runs through Dec. 17, is co-sponsored by the Berkeley Art Center and the Berkeley-based Middle East Children's Alliance, an organization openly hostile to Israel. Fourteen artists, including two Jews, participated.

Local Jewish agencies reacted to the exhibit, which opened Nov. 6, with dismay.

Myrna David of the East Bay-based Jewish Community Relations Council went to see the exhibit for herself. "We were very concerned about one of the themes, which was to legitimize violence," she said.

"We try to educate the community, offering programs and other opportunities to see that the situation is multifaceted. Dialogue is the answer."

Other works on display include a sculpture of two bloody hands grasping a blood-drenched globe. It's an image strikingly similar to illustrations featured in viciously anti-Semitic tracts from the early 20th century, though the work (titled "Do We Have The Right To Remain Silent") does not make clear whose hands or whose blood.

Jonathan Bernstein of the Anti-Defamation League echoed the sentiment. "It's important for the Jewish community to express outrage over what's displayed there," he said. "We want to fight hateful divisive speech with hopeful positive speech."

Riva Gambert, director of the Israel Center of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay, also took in "Justice Matters," and said her organization wants to bring a counterbalancing art exhibit to the area.

"We're looking for a hopeful message, that you don't need to pick up a rifle. There are other ways of reconciling differences."

The Berkeley Art Center is a city-owned facility located in Live Oak Park. The Berkeley Art Center Association is under contract with the city to run the center.

Robbin Henderson, the BAC executive director, offered a spirited defense of the exhibit, saying it had been "mischaracterized" by detractors.

Of the painting depicting the Palestinian with the bomb in his belly, she said, "He is not holding a bomb. The bomb is within him. I believe that piece expresses the anguish of oppression. I think it speaks to the violence that is present in the situation, but is not a call to violence."

Henderson, who described herself as having "Jewish ancestry," said, "I don't understand why they find [the art] offensive. I can see why they find them hurtful. The anguish in this show is very familiar to all people. The attempt in this show is really to express our common humanity."

Despite their objections to the art, both the JCRC and the Anti-Defamation League defended the center's right to display the art.

"We came to the consensus that there was a First Amendment issue here," said David. "It's about freedom of expression."

Mark Schickman, an attorney and Jewish community activist, the exhibit as well. "I wrote to [Henderson]," he said, "and I told her I'd be interested in knowing when she plans to put on an exhibit that discusses Israeli victims of terror."

Added Schickman, "I'm a huge proponent of the First Amendment. I would object vociferously to shutting down [the exhibit], but I think the city owes a degree of balance."




"Justice Matters: Artists Consider Palestine" is on display noon-5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday, through Dec. 17 at the Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St., Berkeley. Admission is free. Information: (510) 644-6893.