The Michael Klein Collection at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah will take art and history lovers behind the scenes with an inside look at the congregation’s newest installation: memory murals that surround the building’s new commons area.
Artist F. Scott Hess, the creator of these memory murals, will explore his process for creating the murals that surround B’nai Jehudah’s commons area, and will touch on a new set of panels he is now working on for the Klein Collection, focusing on the prophets.
Hess is known for realist figure painting grounded in Old Master craft and the representation of observed detail. He worked with sponsor Michael Klein and B’nai Jehudah’s recently retired senior rabbi, Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff, to develop murals that communicate biblical, historic and current actions that showcase our Jewish history, and the congregation’s history.
One example of this is the “Feeding the Hungry” mural, which illustrates “leket” (gleanings) in biblical times, B’nai Jehudah members feeding Kansas Citians in the aftermath of the May 1903 Kansas River flood that left 15,000 residents homeless, and Mitzvah Garden KC, which currently partners with B’nai Jehudah to raise crops that are donated to local food pantries today.
“With Hess’s great skill, future generations will know our story and be encouraged to live by Jewish values and add their own chapter to our legacy,” said Klein.
“Each time one views the murals, there is another detail to be noticed; another story told in the imagery. Having Hess share his process for the finished works, and give us preliminary insights into the creation of the new Prophets mural will deepen our understanding and appreciation of the art that surrounds us in the building,” said Abby Magariel, educator/curator of the Klein Collection.
Hess is the recipient of multiple awards and fellowships, including the J. Paul Getty Museum Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts Visual Art Fellowship. His work can be found in museums across the United States and around the world, including the Smithsonian Institution.
Behind the Memory Murals will take place via Zoom at 7:00 p.m. on August 19.. The event is free of charge and is open to the community. To register, visit bnaijehudah.org/kleincollectionevents/ or 913.663.4050.