Holocaust Museum LA Presents Debut of Virtual Exhibit RECALLING A LOST WORLD

Holocaust Museum LA will present the debut of "Recalling a Lost World: David Labkovski Brings the Stories of Sholem Aleichem to Life," a new virtual exhibit that features Labkovski's vibrant illustrations inspired by the stories of leading Yiddish author and playwright Sholem Aleichem. The virtual exhibit, the museum's first of its kind, opens Oct. 28 and will run through Dec. 2020. The exhibit will kick off with a virtual opening event Oct. 28 at 11 a.m. with participants from the museum and David Labkovski Project as well as the Consuls General of Israel and Lithuania.

Sholem Aleichem (1859-1916), a writer who is often referred to as the "Jewish Mark Twain," penned stories that portrayed daily Jewish life in late 19th and early 20th century Central and Eastern Europe. Aleichem's celebrated tales of Tevye the Dairyman were the basis for the Tony award-winning musical "Fiddler on the Roof," which debuted in 1964 and remains widely performed today.

David Labkovski (1906-1991) used oils, pencils and watercolor to capture Aleichem's stories that resonated with his own stories of childhood before the Holocaust. Raised in Vilna, Lithuania, and subsequently imprisoned in a Siberian Gulag, he returned to his hometown after World War II to find a city and a Jewish community decimated by the war. Labkovski, wanting to commemorate the world that existed before the Nazis, looked to Aleichem as his muse. Although the two men never met, in capturing the stories and characters of Aleichem, Labkovski also captured his own childhood.

"Sholem Aleichem uses stories as a tool to commemorate the past while David Labkovski uses art. The fusing of these two mediums provides a powerful instrument to educate and engage audiences," said Leora Raikin, founder and executive director, David Labkovski Project. "The universal language of art transcends language and time."

Stephanie Wolfson, curator of the exhibit and director of education for the David Labkovski project added, "The genius of David Labkovski is his ability to express narrative, emotion and historical context with his paintbrush, conveying his intense emotional attachment to the past. When you engage through art, you are able to reach all levels of learners."

"We're excited to partner with the David Labkovski project on our very first virtual exhibit. While our focus is to teach the history and lessons of the Holocaust, we believe in the importance in showing the vibrant Jewish culture before the war in order to demonstrate what was lost. This exhibit is special in reminding us that Jewish life flourished before the horrors of the war and has flourished since," said Beth Kean, CEO at Holocaust Museum LA. "The innovative, virtual setting of this exhibit allows us to welcome visitors from around the world to enjoy Labkovksi's stunning pieces."

The opening event will feature a discussion with Dr. Hillel Newman, Consul General of Israel; Agne Gureviciene, acting Consul General of Lithuania; Leora Raikin, executive director, David Labkovski Project; Stephanie Wolfson, director of education and curation, David Labkovski Project; and Michele Gold, board chair, Holocaust Museum LA.

A donation of $10 is suggested for the opening event. For more information on the exhibit, visit https://holocaustmuseumla.org/david-labkovski.

More information on the opening event can be obtained at https://holocaustmuseumla.org/event-details/exhibit-opening-recalling-a-lost-world-david-labkovski-brings-the-stories-of-sholem-aleichem-to-life-1.

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