{"id":3558,"date":"2015-02-18T11:35:31","date_gmt":"2015-02-18T11:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vjic.org\/vjic2\/?page_id=3558"},"modified":"2015-07-04T13:21:21","modified_gmt":"2015-07-04T13:21:21","slug":"a-idenity-3-eber","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vjic.org\/vjic2\/?page_id=3558","title":{"rendered":"Dena Elisabeth Eber: Her Mikveh"},"content":{"rendered":"

Return to Theme Content<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Dena<\/a>

\u00a9 Dena Elisabeth Eber<\/p><\/div>
Visit Portfolio<\/a><\/strong>

<\/em><\/strong>This work addresses the way contemporary American Jewish women reconcile their ancient identities within the context of their feminist ideals in an assimilated world. To have this conversation I use the ancient religious ritual performed by women of immersing oneself in a \u201cmikveh<\/em>,\u201d a Jewish ritual bath. The ancient remains in the images are authentic mikveh <\/em>ruins, while the other live waters represent actual mikveh<\/em> baths.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>This work addresses the way contemporary American Jewish women reconcile their ancient identities within the context of their feminist ideals in an assimilated world. To have this conversation I use the ancient religious ritual performed by women of immersing oneself in a \u201cmikveh<\/em>,\u201d a Jewish ritual bath. The ancient remains in the images are authentic mikveh <\/em>ruins, while the other live waters represent actual mikveh<\/em> baths.<\/p>\n

In this eighteen-image portfolio I use Barbie and live models to represent both contemporary women and ancient ones. The models represent biblical matriarchs and embody a voice that these women would have expressed had they been given one. Barbie, who was designed by the Jewish German immigrant Ruth Handler, epitomizes a desire to fit into American culture through a reconstructed identity.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Every three works belong together to represent the three immersions associated with one mikveh<\/em> prayer. There are eighteen images, which is the numerical value of the Hebrew word “chai,” meaning “life.” Thus, the eighteen images represent six mikveh <\/em>prayers\u2014three for Barbie and three for the Matriarchs. Viewers are invited to imagine their own spiritual and transformative prayers, both for our matriarchs and for themselves.<\/p>\n