The Bunis Family Art Gallery, located in the Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo, Benderson Family Building, is pleased to present a group photography exhibit entitled, “5 Jewish Photographers from Western New York”. The exhibit will showcase the works of photographers Errol Daniels, Milt Ehrenberg, Linda Gale Gellman, Marty Kerker and Shiri Kester. Opening November 1, 2018 the exhibit will be on view through December 28, 2018.

The exhibit will feature forty photographs; eight photographs from each photographer, creating a collaborative group exhibit while still focusing on the individuality and artistic qualities of each photographer.

The idea for the exhibit came from photographer Milt Ehrenberg. Ehrenberg an established and respected photographer in the area, who had a solo photography exhibit at the JCC a few years ago, approached the director of Cultural Arts at the JCC, Katie Wzontek with the idea to create a group exhibit with five local Jewish photographers. “This is something that has never been done in Buffalo before, and the Jewish Community Center would be the ideal venue for such an exhibit,” says Ehrenberg. The next step was to identify the four other photographers and have them commit to the exhibit.

Ehrenberg was already familiar with the works of Errol Daniels and Marty Kerker and asked both to participate. Working in social documentary photography, Daniels’ photography offers a glimpse into the trials of humanity and the beauty that flows out of perseverance. “I want to pull the audience into the lives of the people I photograph – not just to learn about their distinctive experiences, but to also see the human similarities that transcend imagined boundaries,” says Daniels. With a similar focus, the works included in the exhibit by Kerker are of street photography in Brighton Beach, a neighborhood of Russian immigrants in Brooklyn, NY. The photos were shot taken with film in the 90’s, and capture the moment and story of the subject matter.

The final two photographers were at the suggestion of staff members of the JCC. Linda Gale Gellman, a professional photographer and founder of CLICK Artistic Visual Creations, has several decades of experience in photography and design. “Linda is a highly skilled photographer with a superior ability to make people, places, and objects pop and shine, as well as evoke memories and feelings with the images she captures,” says Jordana Halpern, Development Director of the Jewish Community Center. 

Shiri Kester, who holds Bachelors’ degrees in English and Media Studies and is currently pursuing a Masters’ degree in Adolescent English Education rounds out the group. With a passion for witnessing how other people live in the world as well as nature and animals, Kester’s featured photos in this exhibit were taken during her travels around the world which include more than thirty countries on six continents. 

“The exhibit is dedicated to past Jewish photographers from Western New York,” says Ehrenberg. “Each one of us was inspired, and some mentored, by one of the great Jewish photographers in this area and we want this exhibit to help honor them.”

A free gallery reception, open to the community, will take place on the second floor of the JCC Benderson Family Building in the Lippman Lounge and Art Gallery, November 1, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Gallery admission is free and the gallery is open during JCC business hours, 7 days a week. For more information, visit jccbuffalo.org or contact Katie Wzontek at 716-204-2084 or Kwzontek@jccbuffalo.org.