from nyc with love

New MFAH Judaica exhibit showcases exquisite works from world-renowned New York museum

Beginning with an exhibit this July, Houstonians will be able to see a striking collection of Judaica at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The MFAH announced a partnership with the The Jewish Museum, New York that will not only an ongoing presence of Judaica at the museum, but will also bring several exceptional objects to Houston over the coming years.

Opening July 10, "Beauty and Ritual: Judaica from The Jewish Museum, New York" will feature over 140 objects from the Jewish Museum's world-renowned collection, examining Jewish ceremonial objects from antiquity to the present and exploring their artistic, ritualistic, and cultural significance. Unfolding across three galleries and with works from Western Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia, the exhibit explores the practice of the Jewish faith in synagogues, the home, and beyond.

On display will be items such as an 18th-century Bavarian pinewood Torah arc. Used for housing Judaism's central text, the Torah, this arc is nearly 10 feet high and is an echoes the colorful decoration of Bavarian homes. Another gallery centers around the history and significance of the menorah, the lamp used in the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah.

"With this significant partnership with The Jewish Museum, New York, and access to their extraordinary collections, we are able to amplify the cultural and artistic history of Judaism," said Gary Tinterow, MFAH director and Margaret Alkek Williams chair in a press release announcing the partnership and exhibit.

"Beauty and Ritual: Judaica from The Jewish Museum, New York" and the partnership with The Jewish Museum are part of MFAH's World Faiths Initiative, a program of interfaith projects based on the museum’s collections and exhibitions and funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc.

A centerpiece of that initiative will be the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Gallery for Judaica which, beginning in 2023, will house ongoing presentations centered on objects on loan from the Jewish Museum.

The exhibition is on display July 10 through September 18. For hours, tickets, and more information, visit the MFAH site.

Josef Kohn, Menorah, 1872–1921.

Beauty and Ritual: Judaica from The Jewish Museum, New York Menorah

Photo courtesy of Jewish Museum of New York

Josef Kohn, Menorah, 1872–1921.

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Get inspired

Noted Houston street artist paints vibrant new mural at downtown venue

Photo courtesy of Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

GONZO247 poses in front of his new mural, "Houston is Inspired" inside Hobby Center

Visitors to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts can now see an incredible new mural by one of Houston's most iconic street artists.Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr., known as Gonzo247, debuted his piece, "Houston is Inspired" on Friday, December 12.

“This piece is all about capturing the energy that makes Houston, Houston," said the artist in a statement. "It’s that raw, vibrant hustle — the music, the culture, the stories we’ve been telling for generations. I wanted to create something that pulls people in, gets them hyped for what they’re about to experience. Every color, every shape, every detail is telling a story, a vibe. This ain’t just a mural or a piece of art — it’s a journey. It's about the grind, the growth, and the inspiration we pass on to each other, on and off the stage.”

The piece is called "Houston is Inspired," after the program at Hobby meant to showcase local performers by offering them week-long residencies on a prestigious stage. This season includes CJ Emmons's one-man comedy musical show I'm Freaking Talented; a rhythmic interactive storytelling experience called Our Road Home by Jakari Sherman; and Lavanya Rajagopalan's combination of music, dance and verse, Kāvya: Poetry in Motion. Information about all three shows, including ticket prices and availability, can be found at TheHobbyCenter.org.

The last show (debuting May 1) was a particular inspiration to Gonzo247. Viewers may notice a pair of hands in a traditional Indian dance pose, a direct reference to Rajagopalan's show.

The Houston is Inspired program was launched launched in the 2023-2024 season. In addition to the residency in Zilkha Hall, artists are given a $20,000 stipend for production and marketing costs. It is now a permanent fixture of the Hobby season. Applicants for future seasons can submit here.

Known for his original "Houston is Inspired" mural in downtown's Market Square, Gonzo247 has been an active force in Houston art for 30 years, including producing the video series Aerosol Warfare about the street art scene in the 1990s and 2000s as well as founding the Graffiti and Street Art Museum. He also served as the artist liaison for Meow Wolf's Houston installation. If anyone's visual vision is perfect to welcome audience members to shows highlighting homegrown talent, it's him.

“Art’s all about telling stories, but it ain’t just what you see — it’s what you feel," he said. "This piece speaks to the heart of everything we’re about: culture, rhythm, struggle, and triumph. When you walk into the space, you gotta feel the anticipation, the energy building up. That’s what I wanted to capture — the vibe of the whole city, the passion in the work, and that next-level hunger to rise up and create something fresh. It’s like the beat drops, and everything just connects.”

visual-art downtown mural gonzo247