Herman Brookman: Visualizing the Sacred

February 21, 2018 to August 05, 2018

Twentieth-century architect Herman Brookman (1891-1973) designed several of Oregon’s most recognizable landmark structures, many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. Organized by and first presented at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (OJMCHE) in Portland in summer 2017, this exhibition of forty drawings, on loan from UO Special Collections and University Archives, focuses on one of Brookman’s masterpieces, Temple Beth Israel in Portland. These drawings for the only synagogue Brookman ever designed include initial concept sketches, alternatives for the exterior to the dramatic sanctuary, and additional architectural details. Together, they represent a rare opportunity to follow an architect’s creative process. The exhibition is curated by Kenneth Helphand, Philip H. Knight Professor of Landscape Architecture, Emeritus, and Henry Kunowski (B. Arch. UO 1978), a Portland-based architectural historian and specialist in Cultural Resources. JSMA’s presentation is made possible thanks to a JSMA Academic Support Grant.