A diverse group of Muslim and Jewish women artists consider women’s roles in relation to traditional texts that have often marginalized them because of their bodies – bodies that menstruate, nourish others and weep in mourning.
Join us for the launch of the new FENTSTER installation on International Women's Day and meet the Muslim and Jewish women who created artwork for Blood, Milk and Tears.
The evening will feature vocalist Aviva Chernick and poet Sheniz Janmohamed sharing a new collaboration – two women exploring their relationship to their spiritual and creative practices through movement, sound and ritual.
Aviva Chernick is an award-winning musician who has brought her voice and presence in performance and prayer to audiences and congregations in North America and across the globe for over a decade. She facilitates classes and workshops for freeing the voice, is inspired by her study of the Balkan Judeo Spanish tradition and leads NEYSHEV (opportunities for meditation and chanting in community). www.avivachernick.com
Sheniz Janmohamed is an author, artist educator and spoken word artist. She has performed at various venues including the Jaipur Literature Festival, TedxYouth@Toronto, and the Aga Khan Museum. She is also the author of two collections of poetry: Bleeding Light (Mawenzi House, 2010) and Firesmoke (Mawenzi House, 2014). Sheniz facilitates creative writing workshops for writers of all ages and is a Mentor- Artist at The Royal Conservatory in Toronto. www.shenizjanmohamed.com
Blood, Milk & Tears was developed by Evelyn Tauben and Dr. Shari Golberg together with Rochelle Rubinstein with support from Dr. Nevin Reda, Samira Kanji and Richard Chambers.
Presented by FENTSTER: A Window Onto Jewish Life Through Art and Shema & Iqra’: The Jewish-Muslim Text Project as part of the Myseum Intersections Festival
Community Partners: Noor Cultural Centre, University of Toronto Multi-Faith Centre, Makom: Creative Downtown Judaism and Emmanuel College of Victoria University in the University of Toronto
Myseum Intersections is an annual festival of exhibitions and events showcasing different perspectives of the city's natural, cultural, and historic diversity.