China: Through the Looking Glass

How can one find beauty in the darkness of war? Can it even hold meaning when humanity is shrouded in shadow? In the lecture “Secrets of Heroines”, exhibition curator Ya’ara Keydar invites the audience on a behind-the-scenes journey into the making of “Heroines: Fashion and Hope in World War II.” In this talk, Ya’ara shares the curatorial process and the personal experience of engaging with such a complex subject in the aftermath of October 7. Curation is a process that involves collaboration with professionals, moments of success and failure, mistakes, and a great deal of magic. Ya’ara will tell how a single tiny thimble led to an entire exhibition. She will reveal the mysteries uncovered during the research, share moving stories from the production process, and speak about sources of inspiration—something we all need now more than ever. This is a heartfelt lecture about a journey between sorrow and beauty, between loss and hope—and above all, a deep belief in women and humanity.

How can one find beauty in the darkness of war? Can it even hold meaning when humanity is shrouded in shadow? In the lecture “Secrets of Heroines”, exhibition curator Ya’ara Keydar invites the audience on a behind-the-scenes journey into the making of “Heroines: Fashion and Hope in World War II.” In this talk, Ya’ara shares the curatorial process and the personal experience of engaging with such a complex subject in the aftermath of October 7. Curation is a process that involves collaboration with professionals, moments of success and failure, mistakes, and a great deal of magic. Ya’ara will tell how a single tiny thimble led to an entire exhibition. She will reveal the mysteries uncovered during the research, share moving stories from the production process, and speak about sources of inspiration—something we all need now more than ever. This is a heartfelt lecture about a journey between sorrow and beauty, between loss and hope—and above all, a deep belief in women and humanity.

Gustav Klimt, one of the most revolutionary artists in recent memory, lived in tumultuous times, suspended at the turn of the century in the stylistic seam between Art Nouveau, Expressionism, and Symbolism. This lecture will explore how his breathtaking portraits reflect the upheavals of the era and its fashions through his distinct depictions of women, nudity, sensuality, and the supernatural. Klimt’s turbulent life story is also that of his beloved Emilie Flöge, a pioneering fashion designer and predecessor of Coco Chanel, whose contributions have since been largely forgotten.