By Yaacov Brooks
As part of the ongoing Chassidus in Color Competition hosted by Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s MyLife Chassidus Applied, organizer Rabbi Menachem Meltzer met up with one of the judges, the famed Michoel Muchnik, to gain some insights on the Rebbe’s interaction with artists. Michoel has been an icon of Chassidic art for many years, explaining Chassidic ideas and evoking Jewish inspiration through his signature vivid artwork.
Stepping into Michoel’s comfy abode, Menachem was met by paintings adorning the walls, a testament to a lifetime’s artistic journey. Greeted with a steamy hot tea, Michoel’s grandfatherly warmth was reminiscent of the colorful characters of his iconic Jewish children’s books Menachem grew up reading like Hershel’s Houseboat and The Scribe Who Lived in a Tree.
Settling into a plush maroon couch, Michoel explained how his early art influences were mainly from secular sources, but when he embarked on the journey of becoming religious, he began to appreciate secular art more for its aesthetic charm and methodical complexity rather than the content, which left much to be desired.
This is something the Rebbe encouraged him as a bochur in Yeshiva: not to change his artistic style but rather embrace it as a means to teach Judaism and Torah to a wider audience. In fact, Michoel noted, with only one exception he is aware of, The Rebbe refrained from criticizing an artist’s method or artistic style, only the content it portrayed. It was vital to The Rebbe that even the smallest details an artist may have overlooked were adapted to be in accordance with Torah and Halacha, precisely because of art’s spiritual power and impact.
He continued “What was so fascinating for me about the Rebbe was he understood deeply that every person is unique, he loved people utilizing their particular talent to accomplish often unexpected great things. When people found a way to bring Yiddishkeit to others in a way that was uniquely their own, The Rebbe said “You’re the artist, this is up to you” in a way that was so empowering for the individual to find their own voice and tell the right stories with it, in a holy way.”
When asked at what point did he transition to become a professional, the accomplished artist quipped with effortless charm, that he still hasn’t crossed that threshold. In fact, he explained, often too much focus on professionalization can stifle creativity. Many artists will say their most creative moments come from some unknown place within, not from following a planned-out script. Apropo to his own artistic style, Michoel gleans a lesson in everyday Avoda from this: Sometimes one must let go of their perceived control, and let Hashem’s Hashgacha Pratis guide the sequence of events.
Jewish art has undergone a significant transformation over the years. There was a time when “Jewish art” meant either simply a scene portraying a Jewish scene like a shabbos table or “ritual art” such as Medieval decorative Kesubos or Menorah sculptures. Using the limitless potential of art as a medium for teaching Torah however, is a more recent development. One which was heavily influenced by The Rebbe, who saw the use of any worldly tool to teach Torah as an admirable contribution.
In The Rebbe’s own words: “Those who have been Divinely gifted in art, have the privilege of being able to convert an inanimate thing, such as a brush, paint and canvas, etc., into living form. In a deeper sense, it is the ability to transform the material into spiritual. How much more so if the art medium is used to advance ideas reflecting Torah and Mitzvos, which would raise the artistic skill to its highest level.”
Referring to a Chassidic Art Exhibition featuring Jacques Lipchitz in conjunction with Detroit Friends of Chabad Lubavitch, The Rebbe continues: “Indeed, this is the ultimate purpose of the Exhibition, which will hopefully impress and inspire the viewers with higher emotions and concepts of Yiddishkeit imbued with the spirit of Chassidus, and make them, too, vehicles of disseminating Yiddishkeit in their environment.” (5 Kislev 5728)
As the conversation came to a close, Michoel reminisced on his early career, where he’d sell art pieces at fairs together with a written explanation of the Chassidic concept they portrayed. The Chassidus in Color Art Competition encourages entrants to continue this tradition, find an idea in Chassidus about Pesach, and teach it using art, together with an accompanying blurb.
Looking forward to judging the submissions, Michoel ends with his advice to Chassidus in Color contestants “Allow yourself to find your own style, stay true to it, and at the same time use it to spread Torah in the way only you can. Any teaching of Chassidus can be life-changing, and in order to teach it properly, you must first allow it to permeate your soul, which is itself an invaluable experience.”
BRAND NEW: Resource sheet of Chassidus Ideas about Pesach: Chassidus in Color Art Contest-Resource Page
For more information or to submit a piece please visit: http://chassidusapplied.com/chassidusincolor
The deadline for submissions is Shushan Purim / March 25th 2024
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FEATURED SUBMISSION
Devorah Leah Eidelman, 28
Hi, l live in Roseville CA, We are on shlichus working in the Sacramento Jewish Academy.
I have had a passion for art ever since I was young and enjoy creating portraits the most and bringing the art piece to life through the realism of the person’s personality and expressions expressed in the drawing. Working as a preschool teacher gives me the outlet to use my creativity to enhance my preschool classroom, always coming up with new and innovative ideas.
In the sicha from yud aleph Nissan 5735, the Rebbe talks about the connection of chinuch and Pesach which is the time when the Jewish nation was born. Just like before a child is born, the chinuch of that child starts, so too, in the days leading up to Pesach we put an emphasis in the chinuch of our children. This connects with lighting the yom tov candles of Pesach, that even a very little girl who just begins to start articulating the words of the bracha should begin lighting the candles especially adding the bracha of shehechiyanu as well. Through that, she will add light into the world pushing away the darkness of galus to geula. This is a drawing of my daughter Chana lighting candles for the first time.
very talented, excellent work! One of the best jewish artists of this generation that I’ve seen
It seems so natural to express chasidus in art, even more than in words. אינו דומה שמיעה לראיה. The contest should really give voice to today’s young people with this G-d given talent to connect with Chabad’s deepest concepts.
Devorah Leah, The message in your art is similar to the message in this weeks JEM video and a message that I personally needed to hear. So thank you for reinforcing the message that I needed to hear with your beautiful art!