JEWISH THEMES
As a descendant of Sephardic Jews with roots in Portugal and Spain as well as Greece and Turkey, Raphael grew up thinking about the journey his ancestors took, which brought his family to Los Angeles. The themes here include migration, cultural displacement, and the generational transmission of knowledge. Raphael documented his own experience with the migration of the Jewish community in Los Angeles with the monosilkscreen print series, From Breed Street to Wilshire Boulevard. These prints are an example of the artist’s response to the changing neighborhoods of the Jewish community over time. These prints and Tallit were produced at Self-Help Graphics & Art.
Also included here (at the bottom of the page) are gravestone rubbings from the Jewish cemetery on the Island of Rhodes. This project, Rescuing Memory, began in 2018 and is ongoing, honoring Raphael’s ancestors from the Rhodes Sephardic Community. This project is supported by a Fellowship Grant from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.
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Tallit, From Breed Street to Wilshire Boulevard 1998 monosilkscreen on linen fabric 42” x 72” printed at Self-Help Graphics & Art
From Breed Street to Wilshire Boulevard 1998 monosilkscreen with gold and metal leaf 26” x 20” printed at Self-Help Graphics and Art collection Skirball Museum
From Breed Street to Wilshire Boulevard 1998 monosilkscreen with gold leaf 26” x 20” printed at Self-Help Graphics & Art collection Skirball Museum
Menorah 1995 gold leaf on azul macauba granite 5/8” x 8 1/2” x 17”
From Breed Street to Wilshire Boulevard 1998 monosilkscreen with gold leaf 26” 20” printed at Self-Help Graphics & Art
From Breed Street to Wilshire Boulevard 1998 monosilkscreen with gold and metal leaf on Mylar 26” x 20” printed at Self-Help Graphics & Art
Jewish-American Kiddush Cup 1997 gold leaf etched glass 8 1/2” x 3” x 3” private collection
Double Tree of Life 1987 acrylic and gold leaf pn Polaroid 600
4 1/4” x 7”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Kadena Akiba 1671 (5431) 2019 crayon on rag paper 15 1/2” x 10”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Yehuda Israel 1750 (5510) 2022 prismacolor on paper 18” x 12”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Esther Nahmias 1648 (5408) 2022 prismacolor and graphite on paper 18” x 12”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Fasana Menashe 1625 (5385) 2022 prismacolor and gold leaf on paper 14” x 11.5”
The Three Triangles 1983 oil pastel and metal leaf on rag board 40” x 30”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Avraham Hasson 1862 (5623) 2019 graphite on rag paper
27 1/2” x 19 3/4”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Lea Hasson 1939 (5699) 2018 crayon and gold leaf on paper 18” x 12”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Shemtov Alhadeff 1741 (5501) 2022 prismacolor and graphite on paper 24” x 18”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Elia Hacohen 1926 (5687) 2019 graphite on paper 12” x 18”
Aleph Bet 1988 acrylic and gold leaf on Polaroid Spectra 4” x 4” collection Skirball Museum
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Eliahu Hasson 1892 (5652) 2019 crayon on rag paper 19” x 12”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Moshe Nahmias 1662 (5422) 2022 prismacolor on paper 18” x 12”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Dalessiah Nehemiah 1670 (5430) 2022 prismacolor on paper 18” x 12”
Gravestone rubbing from the Jewish Cemetery in Rhodes - Eliahu Hasson 1908 (5668) 2019 crayon and graphite on paper 18” x 12”
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