For some, home is where the matzo is

Rodin didn't have the foresight to see the beauty in this material. Neither Brunelleschi nor Picasso was innovative enough to take a chance on something so daring. Never before have a group of sculptors gathered together to pay homage to the crisp, pure, incandescent beauty of - matzo?

As unlikely as it may seem, matzo was the mold of choice for the first ever Manischewitz Matzo Sculpture Competition, sponsored by the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life.

"Of all the proposals we received," Manishewitz assistant brand manager and competition judge Arye Weigensberg said, "we chose to exhibit the sculptures that made the strongest, most interesting connections to home. The idea of home is different to different people and we wanted to see how they could manifest that idea using matzo."

The matzo sculptures were unveiled Sunday night at the opening reception for "Home and Away," the Bronfman Center's new exhibition showcasing different artistic renderings of the idea of "home."

"I'm very fascinated with this notion of 'home,' " exhibit curator Lois Stavsky said. "Probably because my son was born in El Salvador, my daughter was born in Hong Kong, we have a home in Jerusalem, and I've always tried to figure out, 'What does it mean to feel at home?' It's a very personal thing."

For the matzo sculpture competition, Tisch junior Leia Weil and sophomore Erica Frankel were inspired by their recent Birthright trip to Israel when they chose to duplicate the Western Wall, one of Israel's oldest and holiest sites. Weil and Frankel explained their selection in their written artists' statement: "The Western Wall truly is the ultimate home. It is the home for God, the home for our prayers, the home of our forefathers and the home of the Jewish people, along with the rest of humanity."

Weil and Frankel spent the better part of a day making their sculpture.

"We watched Borat," Weil said laughing.

Third-year doctoral student Daniel Rosenberg spent 20 hours constructing his kinetoscope-esque matzo sculpture, into which one can peer to view an illuminated picture of a family at home.

"I thought it was an interesting idea to try to define what the shape of home is," Rosenberg said.

Jackie Miller, the Bronfman Center's arts coordinator, brought to light the significance of using matzo as a sculpting material.

"This is definitely the time of year that 'home' will be top of mind for most students, as the spring holiday season is approaching," Miller said. "Matzo is relevant to the home and to Passover."

The overwhelming scent of wine and an enormous quantity of matzo (some of which was chocolate-dipped), brought the large crowd of more than 100 people into the gallery's narrow space.

When at last the moment of truth arrived, Miller corraled the spectators into the first floor atrium, where Weigensberg built the tension expertly until she finally named the winner: James Donovan.

Donovan, an electric-blue-haired Steinhardt freshman who's majoring in studio art, froze in shock at the announcement. He slowly made his way to the winner's circle.

Donovan had selected the Washington Square Arch as the best depiction of his understanding of home. Weigensberg said that he was particularly moved by Donovan's subject choice.

"NYU is where he gets his inspiration," Weigensberg said. "This is home for him."

Donovan was awarded a cash prize of $1,000, which he plans to use toward his future artistic endeavors.

"I have a pair of steel wings that I'm going to copper-plate," Donovan explained. "I build wings on the fly."