FLORENCE GRISWOLD MUSEUM 2024
Lahav Artist Menora (detail), 2023
ARTIST MENORAS
FLORENCE GRISWOLD MUSEUM 2024
In 2021, artist Jac Lahav reintroduced paper mache into his artistic practice, revisiting the whimsicality and playful creativity of his childhood clay work. This return to a more tactile, experimental approach marked a shift in his work, one that included deeply personal layers of cultural exploration.
By Hanukkah of 2022, Lahav began creating unique artistic menorahs for his family. Each year, they committed to crafting a new menorah, blending the traditional with the unique inventive voice of Lahav’s illustrations. These menorahs, affectionately described as “creatures,” embody both a reverence for Jewish tradition and a contemporary reinterpretation of it.
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates resilience, faith, and the enduring strength of community. This eight-day holiday, commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, centers on the miracle of the oil—a small amount that burned for eight days despite being sufficient for only one. This miracle is symbolized through the nightly lighting of the menorah, an integral part of Hanukkah celebrations.
For Lahav, the menorah is more than a ritual object; it is a bridge between generations and a canvas for innovation. His vibrant menorahs stand alongside traditional artifacts in a current display at the Florence Griswold Museum, reflecting a shared heritage of creativity. The exhibition also features two 18th-century Galician brass menorahs on loan from the Wilhauer family, representing the artistry of Eastern European Jewish communities. Lahav’s contemporary pieces, with their imaginative forms and playful spirit, juxtapose tradition with modernity, inviting dialogue about how rituals evolve.
Lahav’s work also calls attention to the representation—or often lack thereof—of Hanukkah and other Jewish traditions in public spaces in America. In 2023, the Florence Griswold Museum began to embraced the inclusion of hanukkah into their holiday display. This collaboration underscores the importance of honoring the diverse cultural fabric of Lyme and Old Lyme, which has long included a vibrant Jewish population.
The display serves as a reminder that tradition and innovation are not opposing forces but complementary ones. By showcasing menorahs from different eras—traditional Ukrainian brass lamps and contemporary creations by Lahav—the museum fosters a celebration of Hanukkah that bridges past and present.
Above: menoras (created 2023) On Display At Florence Griswold Museum 2024
Above: new Menoras (created 2024)
