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biography Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik is an artist living in Southern California. He cuts up comic books and reassembles them into work made of clean lines and patterns, sinuous shapes and sharp edges, large fields of color and small intimate spaces. He first showed his work in a “Yom Yerushalayim” arts fair in Jerusalem, and has since shown work in galleries across the globe; his work is in the hands of private collectors around the world. Brynjegard-Bialik's recent large commissions include "Tree of Life" for the new chapel space at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and "To Boldly Go," presented to William Shatner on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. Trained in graphic design, Brynjegard-Bialik started cutting paper while living in Jerusalem. He regularly speaks about the intersection of art and Judaism, has written on the topic for the CCAR Journal, and maintains an annual summer residency at URJ Camp Newman, where he leads workshops teaching campers about papercutting. In 2013 he was the artist-in-residence for the Union for Reform Judaism Biennial. He received a juror's award in the 2015 "Heroes & Villains" show at the Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center (affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution), and was included in the Jerusalem Biennales in 2015 and 2019. In 2016 he served as a Teaching Fellow at American Jewish University's Dream Lab (a thinktank of artists and educators developing a programmatic vision for infusing the field of Jewish education with creativity through the arts). He is on the Executive Board of Jewish Artists Initiative of Southern California, committed to fostering visual art by Jewish artists and promoting dialogue about Jewish identity and related issues. Brynjegard-Bialik is married to his high school sweetheart Shawna, who is a rabbi in the Reform movement. Together they founded Paper Midrash, bringing together contemporary art, pop culture, and scholarship in custom workshops and residencies (www.PaperMidrash.com).They have three children, who often join Isaac in his studio. |
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artist's statement My work explores the role of narrative in the development and expression of identity. I work in paper because I like its fragility and its place as our primary medium for telling and sharing stories across generations. It is both ephemeral and constant. I work with the stories and traditions primarily of the Jewish people, though other peoples and cultures enter into my papercuts as well. These are filtered through the twin lenses of the traditional art form of papercutting and contemporary pop culture storytelling techniques. My work is visual biblical commentary; I call it “paper midrash.” I always begin with text — often bible and other traditional sources, but also the words of poets and musicians. My work is influenced by elements of the natural world and how tradition understands its connection to the Divine: for example the burning bush, the parting of the Red Sea, the revelation at Sinai. I layer cut-up comic books into my work, drawing parallels between comic book mythologies and religious traditions to delve into the stories that make us human. Comic superheroes exist outside of the “natural” world, be they visitors from other planets or people whose powers stem from strange scientific accidents; they have weaknesses and flaws, and their struggles are often a metaphor for the human experience. I bring these different types of stories together in the layers of my papercuts, searching for new meanings in these combinations. |
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public commissions "Tree of Life" School Entryway (Thirteen Windows) and Canopy Welcome Banners Synagogue Ark Doors and Entry Hallway "Paper Tefillah" Series Israel Mural for Schoolyard Legacy Lightbox Series |
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representative private commissions 2020 – "Arella Whirls" – for Stephanie Swedlove; San Antonio, Texas, USA 2019 – "Deep Space Shiviti" – for Rabbi Paul Kipnes; Calabasas, California, USA 2018 – “Miriam's Well" and "Rivers of Eden" – for Mayim Bialik; Los Angeles, California, USA 2017 – "Blow a Horn in Zion" – for Rabbi Joel Abraham; Scotch Plains, New Jersey, USA 2017 – “Valley of One Thousand Hills" – for Jonathan Liebesman; Los Angeles, California, USA 2016 – “The Place of the Cure of the Soul" – for Robert Kirkman; Los Angeles, California, USA 2016 – "Windows on the Bima" – Northridge, California, USA 2015 – "To Boldly Go" – for William Shatner, commissioned by Jewish Federation of Greater Portland 2015 – "Walking Together" – New York, New York, USA 2014 – "Justice" – Encino, California, USA 2013 – "Resilience" – Porter Ranch, California, USA 2013 – "Krowne" – Northridge, California, USA 2013 – "Miriam's Well" – Northridge, California, USA 2013 – "In the Garden – Christchurch, New Zealand 2012 – "Visions of Johanna" – Encino, California, USA 2012 – "Psalm 150" – Beverly Hills, California, USA 2012 – "The Uncanny Ben Zoma" – Massachusetts, USA 2011 – "Greenberg" – Porter Ranch, California, USA 2011 – "King David" – Granada Hills, California, USA 2010 – "Koufax" – Porter Ranch, California, USA 2009 – "Miriam's Well" – Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2008 – "Hamsa" – Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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publications The Book of Proverbs: A Social Justice Commentary (Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, 2022) – cover art The Book of Jonah: A Social Justice Commentary (Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, 2020) – cover art "How Can We Serve God with the Works of Our Hands?" – URJ reformjudaism.org (March 2020) Pirkei Avot: A Social Justice Commentary (Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, 2018) – cover art Kol Ha'Am – Los Angeles (May 2018) Hashalom – South Africa (November 2017) Detroit Jewish News – "From Slavery to Freedom" (April 2014) – cover art Open Deur – "Een kleine vonk" – Netherlands (May 2013) CCAR Journal – "Art and Prayer" – USA (Winter 2013) – authored aticle about "Paper Tefillah" series |
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workshops and residencies: www.PaperMidrash.com |
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additional lectures and presentations Temple Israel "Museum Moments" – West Bloomfield, Michigan (February 2021) ish Festival: "You did WHAT to my comics?!?!" – Cincinnati, Ohio (December 2020) Arts, Provocation, and Jewish History with Aaron Henne – Los Angeles, California (September 2020) Valley Beth Shalom – Encino, California (May 2020) Temple Ahavat Shalom – Northridge, California (April 2017) Limmud UK – Birmingham, England, UK (December 2016) Temple Ahavat Shalom – Northridge, California (December 2016) American Jewish University – Los Angeles, California (March 2016) IKAR – Los Angeles, California (March 2016) Neshamah Congregation – Ontario, Canada (September 2015) Temple Ahavat Shalom – Northridge, California (March 2015) Congregation Shir Hadash – Los Gatos, California (March 2015) URJ Biennial – San Diego, California (December 2013) Temple Israel – Memphis, Tennessee (January 2012) |
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