Mystical 3-D Jewish Art: An Interview With Dov Lederberg by Rabbi Yitzchok Moully
Dov Lederberg has been ahead of his time by roughly 40 years or so,
as far as Chassidic artists go.
Dov, together with his late wife Yael, have explored Judaism and Chassidus
through the lens of abstract, digital (and sometimes 3D) art.
Dov lives in Jerusalem (and now Safed)
and I recently conducted an interview with him.
Q. Please introduce yourself.
A. I am an emerging artist in the context of creating works or gestalt forms
whose various meanings "emerge"
to my audience (and to myself) with repeated viewings. I am a chassidic artist, first of all, via genetics,
being a direct scion of the Maggid of Mezeritz,
for whom I am named, and of course via my studies and contacts
with the Lubavicher Rebbe and other great teachers.
Q. How long have you looked at yourself as an artist?
A. During my teenage and early college years, In college was involved with English Lit and creative writing.
This is going back 60 years. My turn to the visual arts came with
my exposure to lyric "underground" film-making, and I became deeply
involved in the Sixties art scene in the Lower East Side in New York City.
Since my aliyah to Israel in 1967, I have worked as a documentary
film director for Israel TV and other venues,
and also created many video art compositions.
My switch to painting started about 25 years ago
with my marriage to the world-class artist, Yael Avi-Yonah, OBM.
Q. What is the relationship between your Judaism and your art?
A. My brand of Judaism (call it Chassidus) is a strong catalyst
for innovation and renewal and certainly
influences and inspires my paintings and video art compositions
even though the finished canvas may not seem
overtly Jewish or what most people call Jewish Art.
For example, some of my best ideas have come to me
when I am immersing in the waters of the mikve.
Q. What message do you like to convey to viewers through your art?
A. I like to create art that invites interaction and discovery
and leads to expanded consciousness and even intimations
of a mystical experience.
To enhance this I like to use 3-D Avatar type glasses
or allow the painting to be turned upside down,
revealing new perspectives.
Q. How do you integrate art into your life?
A. There is Jewish Art and there is the Art of Being a Jew.
I try to juggle both artistically.
Q. Who or what are your influences/inspirations?
A. My major life-changing influence was the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
I also was fortunate to find and connect in Israel with great Torah teachers such Harav Adin Steinzalz
and Harav Yitzchok Ginsburgh.
A. Be true to your inner vision and not cater to what you think others
may like or find acceptable. Before beginning a painting be like
Nachson before the Red Sea and plunge into the waters up to your neck
and with God's grace, the Sea and the See will open before you.
Be alert to serendipity and realize that all is Hasgacha, Divine Providence.
Q. Please summarize yourself in one sentence.
A. I am one of the pioneers in what I call the
Third Temple art movement -
the return of prophecy and envisioning to Israel.
Q. In your definition; What is Jewish Art ?
A. Jewish Art should be faithful to its root in Hebrew אמן which shares
a nexus of meaning to אמונה faith and אמת truth and נאמן faithful.
