The 14th of Adar:
Puppetry performance inspired by the Purimshpil; part of my larger project, Reimagining The Story of Esther (2023):
Jewish Rabbinical law commands Jews on Purim to drink to the point of intoxication at which they are unable to tell the difference between “cursed is Haman [the villain] and blessed is Mordechai [the hero].” Fascinated by this commandment and its various implications, it has been the source of inspiration for my reimagining of the Book of Esther. I investigate the slippages between ‘good’ and ‘evil,’ man and woman, Jew and Gentile, animal and human, victim and oppressor. I am particularly interested in the ways in which these slippages occur within a state of exile where disguises and assimilation are common forms of survival. What happens when we can’t differentiate between the mask and our true face?
Reimagining The Book of Esther:
Paintings in gouache made in dialogue with The 14th of Adar performance and installation (2023)
Through my feminist perspective, women infiltrate the Book of Esther, the story which is read and celebrated on the holiday of Purim. Often in disguise, they interact with each other within their exilic landscape. I ask the questions: how would the story change if all of the characters were played by women? And how would the women themselves change, immersed in and influenced by male characters and narratives? As the project evolves, it has become clear that the women change the story, and the story changes the women.
