Art Teaching Professor Beth Krensky opens her exhibition Between Spirit and Matter at Yale University's Institute of Sacred Music on September 21, 2022. An installation of performance pieces and ritual artifacts, the show is on view through December 10.
As an acclaimed art educator and maker, Krensky considers herself to be “a gatherer of things—objects, words, spirit—and a connector of fragments, to make us whole.” In videography of her performance works, relics both real and imagined, and tenderly crafted textiles, the artist embraces liminality in an effort to sanctify bodies, spaces, and objects. This exhibition invites viewers to inhabit the space Krensky does herself: the in-between of matter and spirit, the profane and the sacred.
Glowing alabaster edifices, tinkling prayer shawls, and fluttering wings transform this historic building into hallowed ground. Rooted in the centuries-old Jewish traditions and influenced by more recent familial memory, Krensky’s materially compelling works are rich with meaning, welcoming participation and creating sanctuary.
-Maddie Blonquist Shrum
Co-curated by Maddie Blonquist Shrum (ISM alumna, 2022) and Beth Krensky | Exhibition Website