Art Scene
Museum of Biblical Art aims to bridge the religious gap with holiday exhibitionand auction
Seven years after a devastating fire — and a complete renovation — at the Museum of Biblical Art, curator and co-director Scott Peck was proud to announce the third annual 8x8 Holiday Exhibition and Auction. The event honored Edith Baker for her longtime support.
The brains behind the event, Jeff Levine, explained that the required size of 8x8 for the more than 100 silent auction works: "loosely symbolizes the Hebrew word for life but also the miracle of Hanukkah."
Levine's goal was to support the museum, of course. But more important, he wanted to bridge the gap between Jewish and Christian communities with a celebration of exquisite art, from sculpture to painting.
Houstonian honorary co-chair Carolyn Farb echoed that sentiment: "It's important for us to have expressions of tolerance and understanding."
The museum galleries were open for viewing, but the guests — including Katy and Lawrence Bock, Carmaleta Whiteley, Susan Rogers, Doris Jacobs, Robert Tobolowsky, and Myra and Stuart Prescott —focused their eyes (and wallets) on the pieces in the silent auction.
During the auction, the artists' names remained a mystery; only when the winners retrieved their pieces at the end of the night did they see the signatures on the artwork. Among the participating artists were Gib Singleton, George Tobolowsky, Frederick Hart and J.D. Miller.
Before the live auction, Peck gifted honorary co-chairs Farb and Donna and Herbert Weitzman with a token of appreciation for their devotion to the museum.
After many more thanks, the live auction began, during which a piece by Ruth Buzzi and one by her husband, Kent Perkins, sold in a set for $1,000.