Mayer July: Colourful Memories of a Polish Childhood

Following a successful run in New York, Mayer July: Colourful Memories of a Polish Childhood opens at Amsterdam's Jewish Historical Museum on 4 June.

Mayer Kirshenblatt

The exhibition features work by Mayer Kirshenblatt (also known as Mayer July), who at the age of 73 began transforming his childhood memories of pre-war Poland into marvellous narrative paintings and colourful drawings.

Opatów

His conversations with his daughter Barbara over a forty-year period about the nearly forgotten world of his youth ultimately led to a book and an exhibition. In a frank and humorous style, Kirshenblatt (1916-2009) presents a unique picture of everyday life in his birthplace of Opatów before the Second World War.

The magic of everyday life

He depicts the bustling streets, squares, and markets, the synagogue, the craftspeople, and of course the memorable characters who populated his world, from shoemakers, butchers, and prostitutes to street performers, pickpockets, and chimney sweeps.

Mayer July in film

The exhibition also features two films. The first shows Kirshenblatt in his studio in Toronto and during a visit to Opatów with his daughter Barbara. In the second film, one of Kirshenblatt's magical stories is performed as a puppet show.