David Moss: Illuminating Judaism – A Lifetime Mission

This is an intimate, personally guided visual journey through a life devoted to synthesizing creativity and art with Jewish ideas, values, and texts. Together we will explore the infinite potential of the Jewish mind, heart and hand to create works of authentic learning, meaning, inspiration and beauty. Come become part of this sacred journey as you encounter calligraphy, graphics, art, books, prints, sculpture, objects, architecture and educational programming. Award-winning artist, David Moss, comes to Duke for a week-long residency and in this public lecture, discusses illuminating his famous Haggadah (a facsimile of which will be on display). David considers himself a "mitzvah beautifier". He works in diverse media, including calligraphy, illumination, papercuts, sculpture, wood, prints, artist books, architecture, pottery, drama, educational programming and others. He is responsible for the revival of the hand-illustrated ketubah, created The Moss Haggadah, and collaborated on the Tree of Life Shtender. His magnificent artwork has been acquired by major museums, and is included in many private collections. He currently is working on a "Garden of Jewish Exploration" and continues to create daily from his studio in Hutzot HaYotzer, across from Kol HaOt. Moss holds a BA in liberal arts from St. John's College, and has been in residency at the Judah Magnes Museum, the Brandeis Bardin Institute, Yakar Center for Tradition and Creativity, in addition to the recipient of The Israel Museum's Jesselson Prize for Contemporary Judaica. His works can be found exhibited or in the permanent collections of: The British Museum, Duke University, Harvard University Libraries, Hebrew Union College, Getty Museum, Israel Museum, Jewish Theological Seminary, Library of Congress, Magnes Museum, National Library of Canada, New York Public Library, Princeton University Library, Skirball Museum, Stanford University Library, Yale University Library, and Yeshiva University Museum.