Golem Series: Sleep of the Golem
Golem Series: Sleep of the Golem
Legend has it that the great Rabbi Loew of Prague created the Golem from the mud of the Vltava River. He inscribed its forehead with the Hebrew word “emet” (truth). The Golem was a creature of great strength, but no brain nor heart. It was intended to be a protector of the Jewish community, which was suffering violent attacks. The Golem finally became uncontrollable, and Rabbi Loew destroyed it by erasing the first letter of “emet”, leaving the word “met”, meaning death. The clay body of the Golem was carried up to the attic of the thirteenth century Alteneuschul (Old-New Synagogue) in Prague, where we are told it remains to this day.
Printed by artist on Takach press, 20” x 16”. Small edition, up to 25 prints. Numbered and signed by artist.
The Golem is a monstrous figure from a medieval Jewish folktale. He was created by a rabbi with kabbalistic incantations and the clay of the Vltava River in Prague, as a super-strong defender of the Jewish people from their enemies.
The Golem has no soul. He doesn’t understand why his heart and mind are empty. He reaches for wholeness that never comes. He is filled with static and noise; he trembles with rage and flutters with yearning.
As we encounter robotics in our contemporary world, and lose our animal connection to nature while we log on to cyber-reality, we are sleep-walking through life, like a Golem. And yet, there are powerful forces of discontent rumbling in society. What will be unleashed?
I am interested in the Golem we find inside ourselves.