For Your Synagogue, School and Home
How Awe Inspiring Is This Place! / Mah Norah Hamakom Hazeh!
Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley MA
Created by Joshua Winer / Mosaic Arts Studios
William Rawn Architects
The overall tripartite image is abstract, so that the viewer can bring their personal interpretation to the artwork.
The rivers of blue stained glass and mirror are composed to create different types of movement symbolizing the Jewish journey. One section is a spiral, representing Genesis and origins. The middle sections cross through the Torah, representing the Jewish journey in relation to learning and religion. Ultimately the pieces move beyond the edges of the artwork, representing a continuing journey across time and generations.
During the Pesach weekend, we held a clay tile making workshop. Hundreds of tiles were created by people of all ages. We fired these, then glazed them to create finished miniature works of art. These are integrated into the texture of the Torah sections of the overall composition.
When viewers see the finished work in place, they often spot their own art. In this way, many pieces make a whole.