Being Jewish in St. Charles

The Foundry Art Centre is excited to announce the opening of Being Jewish in St. Charles, a collaboration among the Foundry Art Centre, Humans of St. Louis, and the Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles County.

Being Jewish in St. Charles features portraits and stories showcasing the Jewish people living and working in St. Charles. Visually appealing and thoughtfully provocative, the exhibition demonstrates the richness and diversity of the community. Divided into three sections – People, Places, & Things; A Deeper Perspective; and From the Beginning – each section is a unique gateway into the minds and hearts of the Jews of St. Charles.

The exhibition is a culmination of a 3+ year project, and includes the work of photographers and storytellers Colleen Smyth, Bill Motchan, David Hazan, and Lindy Drew.

“When storytellers show unflinching curiosity and invite the other party to partner on a journey of mutual discovery, every interview is an opportunity to see things from a new perspective, question assumptions, and celebrate humanity. If you give people the time and space to tell their story, you allow a conversation to expand. Storytelling is an art. And through it, we get to experience and share the unexpected,” says Lindy Drew, co-founder of Humans of St. Louis.

Being Jewish in St. Charles was made possible with a significant grant from the picturehouse+thesmalldarkroom and the Feldman Education Institute of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. The historical component was researched and assembled in collaboration with the St. Charles County Historical Society.

Being Jewish in St. Charles opens October 6th, 5-8pm, with a formal opening reception and awards ceremony on October 11th. Exhibition will be on view through November 18th.

For more information, please visit us at foundryartcentre.org or email Jessica Mannisi, Director of Art & Exhibitions, at jmannisi@foundryartcentre.org.