The Fralin Museum of Art is presently housing over 80 Torah pointers in the “Between Hand and Scroll: Torah Pointers from the Barr Collection” exhibition on display through July 20. This exhibition was curated by Wendy Ligon Smith, assistant professor of the engagements, Professor of Anthropology Lise Dobrin and the students of last Fall’s iteration of ANTH 3679, “Curating Culture.”
Ligon Smith hopes that viewers can take this exhibition as an opportunity to learn more about the diverse nature of the Jewish faith.
“You're getting this idea of how broad the scope of this Jewish practice is, of reading the Torah.” Ligon Smith said. “So I was trying to think about weaving those threads throughout this thread of materiality, the thread of global conversations.”
The installation was donated by Clay Barr in honor of her late husband, Jay D.A. Barr, a graduate of the University and the School of Law. Unveiled Feb. 2, this exhibition closely examines an important object in the Jewish tradition by displaying dozens of diverse Torah pointers with designated plaques detailing the pointers’ origins.
A Torah pointer, or yad, is an essential object within the Jewish faith that serves to protect the sacredness of the Torah by preventing direct hand contact while also helping the reader follow along during the Torah service. Using a yad demonstrates respect and reverence for the text and, in many ways, symbolizes the relationship between the Jewish people and the Torah.
Ranging in material, size and time period, the Torah pointers in this exhibit represent a wide variety of artistry and highlight the resilience of this cultural practice.
The Torah pointers are on display in a dimly lit room at the Fralin, ensuring that each internally illuminated case is a focal point, inviting the viewer to examine the pointers in more detail.
Toward the front of the room, there is a case containing 12 Torah pointers constructed with religiously-associated materials like precious metals and gems. Further within the exhibit, cases display Torah pointers made from other materials, such as glass, wood and more experimental materials, such as pencils and skateboards.
Ligon Smith explained how the placement of each section of Torah pointers was intentional, organizing them by materiality to compare the styles and creative choices made by artists, rather than time period or place of origin.
“[I] wanted to make sure it was something that was approachable to people who were not Jewish, and that it was something good to teach with.” Ligon Smith said. “One of the ways that I thought this collection could be more approachable was if we thought about materials.”
Each Torah pointer differs in size and appearance, but they all follow the same basic shape, typically featuring an ornate handle with a realistic, pointing human hand at the end. Many of the Torah pointers in the exhibit made from precious materials include these traditional features, while others are more abstract in design.
Some Torah pointers come from the United States, but others come from a plethora of other countries such as India, Germany and Egypt. The variety of this collection represents the scope of Judaism, offering a comprehensive and cross-cultural viewing experience.
“When a religious tradition is [practiced] in different parts of the world, you can see local influences,” Ligon Smith said. “There's a wide range of what it means to be Jewish.”
For museum goers who are not familiar with the Jewish tradition, several features provide more context for the religious significance of Torah pointers. On one side of the room, a Torah is on display, while the opposite side displays a video of a Torah service from Congregation Beth Israel, a local synagogue. This adds an auditory element to the gallery and allows the audience to see a Torah pointer in use.
Each semester that the “Curating Culture” course is taught, students focus on curating items belonging to a different culture. In the fall semester, students were given a working knowledge of Judaism, which included visits to the local synagogue, lectures from guest speakers and observance of Jewish holidays.
As a part of the class, students played various roles in the exhibit’s curation, including writing descriptions, creating interactive activities for children and curating a specific section of Torah pointers. Third-year College student Kaitlynn Fisher acknowledged the complex process of curation and explained how the course broadened her understanding of what it takes to curate an exhibit.
“You have to think about everything, the color that you paint the walls, the font that you write the text in,” Fisher said. “You have to write about how people of different ages and backgrounds are gonna see it, and how they're gonna interpret what you write.”
Carina Velocci, Fralin student docent and fourth-year College student, had the opportunity to broaden her museum experience in this course. She has been a docent since her second year, but never had the chance to work in a behind-the-scenes capacity. Velocci explained how she used her experience to consult with the curators to make the exhibition accessible to children and all other viewers, while also exploring a side of museum work that she had not previously.
“Creating an exhibition that is so focused on one culture and one community gave me a lot of insight about how to communicate that with audiences who are outside of it,” Velocci said. “Learning more about how to bridge the gap between artists and audience that's really special and important.”
“Between Hand and Scroll” offers a close look at an essential Jewish artifact. The diversity of Torah pointers creates a cross-cultural conversation, enriching the audience’s understanding of Jewish tradition while featuring dozens of intricate pieces of art.
“Between Hand and Scroll: Torah Pointers from the Barr Collection” will be on display at the Fralin through July 20.
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