Mar 31, 2022–Aug 14, 2022
The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited celebrates the legacy of Jim Henson (1936–1990), trailblazing puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker. Featuring more than 150 objects drawn from the beloved worlds of Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and more, the exhibition highlights Henson’s groundbreaking work for film and television, his indelible mark on popular culture, and the profound social impact of his work. It also includes material from Henson’s experimental film projects and his early work, presenting him as a restlessly creative performer and technical innovator. Discover how Henson and his team of builders, performers, and writers created an unparalleled body of work, sharing characters and stories that represent diverse backgrounds and abilities. These stories continue to delight audiences and inspire people of all ages to look beyond differences and cultivate a more compassionate, inclusive world.
Feb 17, 2022–Jan 8, 2023
Tikkun: For the Cosmos, the Community, and Ourselves presents works by thirty Bay Area–based contemporary artists reflecting on the Jewish concept of tikkun (Hebrew for “to repair”). In a moment of collective challenges and uncertainty, this exhibition re-examines the term tikkun as a phenomenon of care and interconnectedness that is grounded in personal action, environmental responsibility, and community, unfixed from its evolving meanings throughout history. Taken together, the works in this exhibition consider how the concept of tikkun can help us look critically both inward and outward, guide us through change, and build resilience for the ongoing work of repair.
Apr 8, 2022–Mar 24, 2023
The teen years are instrumental in the creation of a sense of self. They are also a critical time in the creation of what psychologists from The Family Narrative Lab at Emory University call the “intergenerational self”—a self embedded within a larger familial history. In the fifth iteration of What We Hold, teens have created individual audio recordings reflecting on and connecting with their family histories.
Ongoing exhibit
The Contemporary Jewish Museum commissioned artwork by Sacramento-based artist Dave Lane to be placed in its soaring lobby space. The massive sculpture, entitled Lamp of the Covenant, is a 90-foot-long, six ton work suspended high over the heads of visitors. Attached to an enormous oval of steel are antique objects: world globes, light bulbs, tools such as nineteenth century apple peelers and blow torches, and various other objects that suggest the unfolding marvels of the cosmos.