Visualizing Kabbalistic Secrets—The Open Book Motif in Michael Sgan-Cohen’s Art

Abstract

This article explores the open book as a pivotal motif in the art of Michael Sgan-Cohen, contending that it serves as a visual interpretation of biblical and kabbalistic themes, resembling a midrashic commentary. The recurrent presence of the book motif in Sgan-Cohen’s oeuvre, previously unexamined in this light, expresses notions concerning the cosmic and ontological nature of the Torah, the relationship between divine and human creativity, and the elusive essence of divinity. Understanding the meaning of the book motif requires an interdisciplinary approach, considering both the artworks and the conceptual and physical space in which they originated. Sgan-Cohen’s private home library, replete with Jewish esoteric texts and related scholarly studies, serves as a crucial backdrop. By delving into the artist’s library, this study aims to shed light on the interplay between Sgan-Cohen’s visual creations and Jewish kabbalistic traditions. The discussion underscores the unique fusion of kabbalistic interpretations of Genesis, post-conceptual art, and theories of language and deconstruction within Sgan-Cohen’s oeuvre. The analysis spans from well-known to obscure aspects, focusing on Sgan-Cohen’s strategies for depicting visibility, concealment, and the ironic representation of secrets under erasure. Drawing inspiration from seminal Jewish texts, namely, Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation) and the Zohar (Book of Splendor), these representations coalesce into a unique cultural stance and a reflective celebration of ars poetica.