An art piece in of itself, the Jewish Contemporary Museum in downtown San Francisco is currently hosting the “California Dreaming: Jewish Life in the Bay Area from the Gold Rush to the Present” exhibit until late this year.
The museum’s structure, once a historic landmark that was built by architect Willis Polk in 1907 and housed a Pacific Gas & Electric Power substation, was converted into a museum in 1998.
The new creation was designed by Daniel Libeskind, who kept the defining features of the substation but blended it with a contemporary modern style that now encompasses an education center as well as the art exhibitions.
The layout of “California Dreaming” is simple, with photographs and written pieces telling the story of Jews coming to settle in the Bay Area over the last 160 years.
The exhibit is fairly short, but packs history into the display, using an evolving narrative that centers around five questions designed to look at Jewish life through their lens – what is the history of their community, their character, and most importantly, what does it all mean to them?
These questions are the heart of the piece and draws in visitors with a willingness to share not just personal moments, but intimate thoughts and feelings.
Answering these questions shines a spotlight on a vibrant yet complicated history and doesn’t shy away from showing us the many successes of Jews in the Bay Area throughout the years.
Showcasing men like Joseph Strauss, the Jewish engineer who designed and envisioned the Golden Gate Bridge, and Levi Strauss, an iconic symbol for fashion in America.
We also see the periods in history when Bay Area Jews were not so accepting of other Jewish immigrants and people of different races, such as the Chinese and Chinese-Americans. In addition to the main exhibition there is also a 70-minute film playing in a separate room called, “Becoming Home,” which is simply a talking heads style documentary of different Jews telling their personal stories of life in the Bay Area.
The museum’s structure, once a historic landmark that was built by architect Willis Polk in 1907 and housed a Pacific Gas & Electric Power substation, was converted into a museum in 1998.
The new creation was designed by Daniel Libeskind, who kept the defining features of the substation but blended it with a contemporary modern style that now encompasses an education center as well as the art exhibitions.
“California Dreaming” isn’t flashy or full of exceptional art pieces; it’s merely a history lesson that is told from inside the Jewish perspective.
