JUNE 17 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2022
The identity of Indian-American-Jewish artist Siona Benjamin is layered and multifaceted, just like her artwork.
Raised as a Jew and member of the Bene Israel community in a largely Hindu and Muslim Mumbai, she attended Catholic and Zoroastrian schools before moving to the US. Benjamin’s transcultural view has been shaped by diverse, complex experiences and is inspired by history and mythology, as illustrated by the captivating characters and symbolism which populate her pieces.
About the Exhibit
Immigration, gender, the concept of ‘home’, and the role of art in social change are explored through vibrantly hued paintings blending tradition with innovation and navigating feelings of inclusion and exclusion. Further reflecting current issues, Benjamin’s work considers and challenges perceptions about culture, race and religion, and in crossing boundaries and building bridges, she asks viewers to do the same.
Museum admission will be FREE during two free community days on Friday, July 15 and on Sunday, August 21. Museum programming and events are open to the public and include:
Opening Preview of Beyond Borders: The Art of Siona Benjamin
Thursday, June 16, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Youth Workshop – I Am Hava. I Am Blue. What Color Are You?
Saturday, June 18, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Milwaukee Public Library – Central Branch (814 W. Wisconsin Ave.)
Chalk the Block with Award-Winning Artist Siona Benjamin
Sunday, June 19, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Black Cat Alley (E. Ivanhoe Pl.)
Jewish Museum Milwaukee (1360 N. Prospect Ave.)
Marcus Performing Arts Center (929 N. Water St.)
Mitchell Street Library (906 W. Historic Mitchell St.)
Interfaith Friendship: Personal and Political Reflections
Sunday, June 19, 7:00 PM
Cardinal Stritch University Kendall Theater (6801 N. Yates Rd.)
Virtual Lecture – A Multifaceted Glimpse into Modern India
Tuesday, July 12, 7:00 PM
Jews Into and Out of India: From the Bene Israel to Siona Benjamin
Wednesday, August 3, 7:00 PM
In-Person Film Screening and Talkback – Blue Like Me
Thursday, August 25, 7:00 PM
America’s Black Holocaust Museum (401 W. North Ave.)
Virtual Film Screening and Talkback – Shalom Bollywood: The Untold Story of Indian Cinema
Monday, September 12 – Sunday, September 25
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
Anonymous Fund of the Milwaukee Jewish Community Foundation
Bader Philanthropies
Isabel Bader
Brico Fund
David & Madeleine Lubar
Joan Lubar & John Crouch
Susan A. Lubar
America’s Black Holocaust Museum
Anonymous
Suzy Ettinger Donor Advised Fund of the Milwaukee Jewish Community Foundation
Israel Center of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Milwaukee Arts Board and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin
Gene and Ruth Posner Foundation
Betsy Rosenblum and Richard Buchband
Annalee Sosman
Tikkun Ha-Ir
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – The Sam and Helen Stahl Center for Jewish Studies
In-Kind:
America’s Black Holocaust Museum
Black Cat Alley
Blick Art Materials
Cardinal Stritch University
East Side Business Improvement District
Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee
Pardeep Kaleka
Marcus Performing Arts Center
Milwaukee Public Library
Zehra Tahir
This exhibit is supported in part by a grant from the Milwaukee Arts Board and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin.
Buy the Exhibit Catalog
ABOUT JEWISH MUSEUM MILWAUKEE: The Jewish Museum Milwaukee is dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of the Jewish people in southeastern Wisconsin and celebrating the continuum of Jewish heritage and culture. The history of American Jews is rooted in thousands of years of searching for freedom and equality. We are committed to sharing this story and the life lessons it brings with it, so that we may enhance the public’s awareness and appreciation of Jewish life and culture. We are committed to building bridges between diverse groups through shared history and to exploring contemporary issues through the lens of Jewish history, culture and values.