“Oh, give me the kisses of your mouth, For your love is more delightful than wine.” These lines sound like those of a 19th-century romantic poet but they’re actually from the last section of the Hebrew Bible. Erotic lyrics are just some of the more surprising religious and cultural artifacts that make up Sex: Jewish Positions, an exhibition about sexuality and Judaism soon to close at the Jewish Museum Berlin. Nearing the end of its run (catch it until 06.10.2024), the exhibition explores Jewish attitudes toward sex through ancient texts, objects and artworks both new and old. A walk around the exhibition rooms reveals the full continuum of sexuality, from the sex positivity of Dr. Ruth Westheimer’s “Game of Good Sex” to the feminist art of Judy Chicago and the theories of sexual repression developed by Sigmund Freud. Elsewhere, historical texts are examined in parallel with contemporary documents, such as an updated ketubah (traditional marriage contract) that features the image of a newly married lesbian couple. Set to transfer to the Jewish Museum Amsterdamafter its Berlin run ends, the exhibition is a fascinating account of a complex, surprising part of Jewish life.
Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Jens Ziehe / Credit: Jüdisches Museum Berlin
Jewish Museum Berlin, Lindenstr.9-14, 10969 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Sex. Jewish Positions runs until 06.10.2024
@juedischesmuseumberlin
