Ben Schachter is in many ways a “kosher cartographer.” As a Jewish artist widely known for his depictions of eruv maps, Schachter’s paper projects depict boundaries stitched in blue thread with the remaining portions painted with acrylic.
Functionally, Schachter’s contoured creations operate similarly to their representations in that they offer assistance. While an eruv, through its symbolic status, permits activities traditionally forbidden on the Sabbath, Schachter’s art enables conversation and understanding of a space and topic that is ironically nebulous and often misunderstood.
To date, observers and learners have enjoyed the artist’s works via exhibitions at the Youngstown (Ohio) Area Jewish Federation Art Gallery; the Yeshiva (N.Y.) University Museum; the Yale University Institute for Sacred Music; the American Jewish Museum in Pittsburgh; and, most recently, the Jerusalem Biennale 2017.
Artwork by: Professor Douglas Rosenberg, Meditations: Labor, 2010. Video stills.