Yehudit Shadur | Papercuts
"...What at first seemed a simple craft proved to be an artistic medium of endless possibilities and variations - not only in the arrangement of time-honored Jewish symbols imbued with deep and often complex significance, but also in the challenges of color, composition, and texture. Eventually, the subject matter of my papercuts went beyond traditional forms and content to express my personal vision as a contemporary artist ..."
Jerusalem from Generation to Generation - Papercuts by Yehudit Shadur, Exhibition Catalog, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv, 1996
MIZRAH PAPERCUTS | "shining splendor of the rising sun"
What is a mizrah? The word mizrah in Hebrew means east. In Jewish papercuts this word is often the acronym meaning From This Side the Spirit of Life, and its four Hebrew words often appear in the four corners of the papercut. Mizrah plaques are hung on the walls facing Jerusalem to indicate the direction of prayer. They often contain a variety of biblical and liturgical passages and many traditional symbols, some of which date to the very beginning of the Hebrew faith and identity over three millennia ago.
Some typical symbols are:
・Menorah - the seven branched candelabrum, symbolizing the light of the Torah (Law)
・Crown - "keter torah", the crown of Torah
・Columns - symbolic of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem
・Potted plant or tree - the Tree of Life
・Grapevine - symbol of the Hebrew people
・Lion and Gazelle - " ... fleet as the gazelle is also another symbol for the people of Israel ("tzvi yisrael" and the lion evokes majesty and sovereignty.
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Some designs are available as limited-edition, signed laser cuts or serigraph prints. Please click HERE for more info.
JERUSALEM PAPERCUTS | innovation in the development of this jewish art form beyond the commonplace symbols of the temple
"I often show Jerusalem as an idealized stone-built, walled city with towers and gates, encompassed by mountains and with the spiritual sanctuary in the center, evoking Isaiah 60:18 ("...thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, And thy gates Praise"); Psalms 125:2 ("As the mountains are roundabout Jerusalem, So the Lord is round about his people") and other passages".
Jerusalem from Generation to Generation - Papercuts by Yehudit Shadur, Exhibition Catalog, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv, 1996
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The Story of Job | A FIVE-PART INTERPRETATION IN CUT PAPER
Symmetry is abandoned in Y.Shadur's five papercut panels that tell the story of Job's suffering and his anguished quest to understand God's purpose. The artist portrays Job in the stark, wild desert landscape of Edom and the Negev, incorporating verses from the Book of Job into the design of each episode.
Singer, Suzanne (1986) "Papercuts -- An Ancient Art Form Glorifies Biblical Texts," Bible Review, vol II, 2:28-35.
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Psalms | THEME OF “ROOTEDNESS IN LAND” AND A RICH VARIETY OF JERUSALEM PAPERCUTS
Fascinated with the flora and fauna of the land of Israel and its landscapes, the poetic imagery of the Book of Psalms resonated with Yehudit Shadur. This inspired her to create papercuts on the theme of “Rootedness in Land” and a rich variety of Jerusalem papercuts.
Psalms 65 | The community sings a psalm of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest. Humbly acknowledging that they are unworthy of God's favors, the people praise him for his power over the earth, and thank him for the rains which produced abundant crops.
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Small papercuts | celebrating jewish holidays and other occasions.
As in the larger papercuts, hand-painted underlays, often in golds and coppers, give these small creations jewel-like effects. Originally created as prototypes for greeting cards, they can be framed individually, in pairs, or in small groups. Average size is 4.75" x 6.5". Click HERE for more information about purchasing small papercuts.
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