A Cut Above: The Ruach of Papercuts

Our new exhibition being unveiled on October 30 has been curated by our gallery staff and gathered from the studios and presentative galleries of pioneering and contemporary artists. Our featured artists include one of the 20th century’s most storied papercut artists, Yehudit Shadur, her student Yael Seidemann, the Brooklyn-based contemporary artist Deborah Yugoretz, and the midcentury modern artist Greta Kessler. Two children of these artists, Tamar Shadur and Alex Kessler, each have work in the show as a measure of how this art form is still evolving to embrace modern themes and mentalities.

The art of Jewish papercutting, a folk tradition with roots in the Middle Ages, is a powerful example of an art form being preserved and reinterpreted. The delicate cuttings, historically used to sanctify religious ritual, have been revitalized by artists who explore their culture’s symbols and narratives. Yehudit Shadur, a pioneer in this modern revival, often created intricate, symmetrical pieces with time-honored symbols like the menorah. Yet, her work also pushed boundaries, using the human form and abandoning symmetry to tell personal, anguished, or symbolic stories. Similarly, Deborah Ugoretz, a Brooklyn based artist, finds meaning not only in the art itself, but in the negative space behind the cuts—the “cut away.” This concept, which she connects to Kabbalah and the Japanese idea of notan, allows her to engage in a powerful dialogue with religious texts and turn her poetic translation into a visual language. She has used the craft to explore feminist, political, and social issues while also creating intricate ketubot that reflect the unique stories of diverse couples. Her commitment to teaching ensures this tradition continues to inspire a new generation of artists.