Sephardi Celebration: Exhibition By Bettina Caro – From 17 November to 18 December 2014

Monday 17 November – Thursday 18 December 2014

The London Jewish Cultural Centre is delighted to welcome back Moroccan-born artist Bettina Caro, following her very successful exhibition held at the Centre in 2011. For the past two years, Caro has been preparing for this exhibition and will be showing recent paintings and watercolours inspired by memories of her childhood in Tangiers.

Bettina Caro was born in Casablanca, Morocco in 1955 and grew up in Tangiers. She is a direct descendant of Rabbi Yosef Caro (1488-1575) author of the great codification of Jewish law, the Shulchan Aruch. From an early age, Caro showed an aptitude for drawing which was encouraged by her father, a keen amateur painter.

In 1973, Bettina Caro moved to Madrid and studied art and architecture at the University of Madrid. She moved to London in 1981 where she now lives and works.

A number of works will depict Moroccan Jewish brides wearing their traditional k’bira dress, either preparing for the wedding ceremony or taking part in the Traje de Berberisca, the henna ceremony held before the wedding. Caro pays particular attention to the bridal outfit, explaining ‘the motifs are deeply symbolic. The skirt is embroidered with 12 gold stripes representing the 12 tribes of Israel and the corset is decorated with an image of the Tree of Life. I am particularly drawn to the headdress called the Jemaar which looks so like a crown. I was lucky enough to wear a dress brought to me by my cousin from Madrid and was delighted that my daughters continued this tradition and their own henna ceremonies.’

Three paintings focus on the North African tea ceremony where mint tea is served to guests. For these, Caro has painted her tea service, which belonged to her mother and which she carefully brought to England. Whilst the tea pot is made of silver, guests drink from delicate coloured glass cups that are decorated with gold leaf.

Other paintings capture the vibrancy of the Moroccan souk or market or the roads leading to the synagogues in various Moroccan cities and towns. She has painted her memories of the interior of the famous synagogue Danan in Fez. There will also be a series of Still Life paintings on show which depict items of Judaica and jewellery from North Africa, which have been in the Caro family for generations.

A number of Sephardi Celebration events have been organised to coincide with the exhibition including a panel discussion about the North African Jewish experience hosted in partnership with Sephardi Voices.

Below are the opening times and dates for the exhibition*:

Monday 17 November 10am – 8pm
Tuesday 18 November 2pm – 8pm
Friday 21 November 10am – 2pm
Monday 24 November 10am – 2pm
Tuesday 25 November 2pm – 6pm
Wednesday 26 November 2pm – 6pm
Thursday 27 November 3pm-8pm
Friday 28 November 10am – 2pm
Monday 1 December 10am – 8pm
Wednesday 3 December 12pm – 6pm
Thursday 4 December 12pm – 4pm
Friday 5 December 10am – 2pm
Monday 8 December 10am – 8pm
Tuesday 9 December 2pm – 6pm
Friday 12 December 10am – 2pm
Monday 15 December 10am – 8pm
Thursday 18 December 12pm – 4pm

*Dates and times are subject to change.

Fuente: ljcc.org.uk