Eran Shakine “A Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew”

Wednesday, May 20th - Sunday, November 8th | Museum Dorotheergasse, Dorotheergasse 11, A-1010 Wien

The Israeli artist Eran Shakine (*1962) gives every one of his paintings the same title: “A Muslim, a Christian and a Jew…” – almost as if he were about to tell a joke. In his large-scale works, he humorously explores the question of similarities and differences among the three monotheistic world religions.

The headline of a (fictional) illustrated Time Magazine cover proclaims: “Mother gives birth to identical triplets: a Muslim, a Christian and a Jew.” The three gentlemen, usually dressed in top hats and black suits, wander through the world: searching for common origins, God’s love, or a dialogue with Moses, they experience various everyday and quirky situations. As carefree as the drawings appear, their message is serious: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism share a common history despite their different interpretations of scripture. Their wishes, dreams, and hopes ultimately lie very close together.

Shakine’s oil pastel works are, so to speak, anti-cartoons: they break with stereotypes and direct attention to what unites us—humanity, curiosity, doubt, hope, and faith. His works are easily accessible yet full of philosophical depth. With subtle humor and poetic clarity, Shakine invites us to recognize what connects us and to celebrate the human in our similarities.

Eran Shakine paints, draws, and creates sculptures as well as public art. He was born in Israel in 1962 to a French father and a Hungarian mother, both Holocaust survivors. He lives and works in Tel Aviv. His works have been exhibited internationally and are represented in numerous collections.

Curators: Barbara Staudinger, Hannes Sulzenbacher