Benjamin Kaplan's Foundry Art Centre Installation Is Gaining Buzz

His provocative new work inspires viewers to think about identity and heritage

By Sarah Fenske

Oct 17, 2023 at 6:00 am

Courtesy photo

You can see the installation for free through November 18

As horror in the Middle East has the world again confronting the long, often tragic history of the Jewish diaspora, Benjamin Kaplan’s Sleep Faster, We Need the Pillows is earning well-deserved attention in St. Charles.

The site-specific installation at Foundry Art Centre (520 North Main Center, St. Charles; 636-255-0270) weaves together Jewish cultural motifs and contemporary art, inspiring viewers to think about identity and heritage, specifically as related to a people who’ve had to fight to defend theirs.

A St. Louis-based post-disciplinary artist, Kaplan has a knack for work that strikes at the heart of the zeitgeist, with past projects that include Documentia (an exhibition at the Kranzberg Gallery exploring dementia) and Living Like Kings: The Unexpected Collision of Chess and Hip Hop at the World Chess Hall of Fame. Pre-pandemic, he also collaborated with St. Louis Shakespeare to reimagine A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a high-end photo shoot, because why not?

In short, here’s a St. Louis artist doing provocative, interesting work, and this is your chance to see it for free through November 18. You can also see Being Jewish in St. Charles, a new exhibit from the talented Humans of St. Louis crew, through the same date. Make a twofer! See foundryartcentre.org for details.

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About The Author

Sarah Fenske

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