Jewish Orientalists. Scholars and Adventurers in Search of the Self in the Other

With this exhibition devoted to the “Morgenländer” we are looking at the emergence of Oriental studies in the 19th century and will make a surprising discovery: the development of Islamic studies, Arabic studies and Oriental studies was closely linked to the “Wissenschaft des Judentums”, emancipation and reform.

The new Oriental studies were the scene of a Jewish search for its own origins: Exploring the sources of one’s own culture and history with a self-determined view also served as an attempt to free oneself from the discriminatory grip in a Christian society.

The fact that, from this perspective, Islam and the Arab world by no means appeared as a hostile and exotic “other” of Europe, but rather as a source of European culture, productively challenges many contemporary stereotypes, xenophobic ideas as well as post-colonial black and white thinking.

An exhibition of the Jewish Museum Hohenems

Team Curator Felicitas Heimann-Jelinek (Wien) Co-curator Dinah Ehrenfreund-Michler (Hohenems) Exhibiton architecture Martin Kohlbauer (Wien) Exhibition graphic design atelier stecher, Roland Stecher (Götzis) Graphic design Thomas Matt Grafikdesign (Rankweil)

Exhibit conservator Raphael Einetter (Hohenems) Outreach Anita Niegelhell and Claudia Klammer (Hohenems) Press and public relations Birgit Sohler (Hohenems) Office Martina Steiner (Hohenems) Academic assistance Alina Maurer – Hohenems Restorers Bettina Dräxler – Wien Leonie Schwärzler – Bregenz Viola Beier – Köln Animations Stefanie Hilgarth – Wien KA 21 Wolfgang Haas – Wien Marwan Shahin, Los Angeles Liron Lavi Turkenich – Haifa Papyri Puzzle des Ägyptischen Museums und der Papyrussammlung – Berlin Exhibition construction Museom Service, Christian Chochola – Wien Exhibition installation Dietmar Pöschko – Hohenems Dietmar Pfanner – Andelsbuch Raphael Einetter – Hohenems Photography Walser Fotografie – Hohenems Exhibition text and label production Elograph – Röthis Printing Druckerei Thurnher – Rankweil Painting work Alfons Mathis – Hohenems Replica 1zu1 Prototypen – Dornbirn Elograph – Röthis Gipsformerei Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz – Berlin

Cover picture (excerpts): Plaster bust of Nefertiti with make-up by Loni Baur in the plaster mold of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, photo: Fabian Fröhlich.