Dedicated to the fourth day of mourning for Paul A. Levine
Four years have passed since Paul’s death (October 28, 2019) and in this context I would like to summarize some of the results of the Initiative’s activities.
The PILPAUL sculpture, the third work by Berlin sculptor Robert Schmidt-Matt in the series โA Traveling Tombstoneโin memory of Paul A. Levine, will be acquired in full by the end of 2023. This was made possible by private donations from Sandra Skala, Igor Plotnik, Tatiana and Roman Medvedev and several others who did not wish to be named. My heartfelt thanks go to all of you!
In August-September 2023, the Initiative presented all three sculptures in an exhibition at the Kunsthaus Sans TitrePotsdam, whereโ“for many reasons and all manner of emotions”, as Paul might have said โthe project generated great interest among guests and visitors.
A series of postcards was also published for this event, showing all three sculptures in different phases of their creation.
The initiative invited Uppsala University to place a plaque in honor of historian Paul A. Levine on the walls of The Hugo Valentine Center, where Paul was a co-founder and, as one of its director, successfully championed the development of this institute for decades. Negotiations with the Uppsala University on this issue are ongoing.
You can find our short films on these and other topics in the website’s video library.
Invite our Traveling Exhibition ย (CONTACT ๐ฉ) ย to your institution and
โโ At the Exhibition in “Kunsthaus Sans Titre” โโ
as part of the Museum Barberini’s “Holland in Potsdam” project.
Dear friends,
Today, I am thrilled to announce the exhibition in Kunsthaus Sans Titre, Potsdam, where A Traveling Tombstone project in memory of Paul A. Levine celebrates its premiere.
This event features work by Robert Schmidt-Matt and Gerard Janssen: pictures and sculptures on paper and in stone.
sans titre e.V., Franzรถsische Str. 18, 14467 Potsdam Open: 20.8. – 24.9.2023 Wed – Sun 2pm – 6pm
Please, see the following shorts about the project and Join us during this time and encourage your friends to do so as well:
Announcing the Exhibition
A Traveling Trio: Introduction
Why is there a Traveling Tombstone in Memory of the Holocaust Historian Paul A. Levine?
Why Amsterdam? Why The Hague?
Invite our Traveling Exhibition (CONTACT ๐ฉ) to your institution and
Support the project “A Traveling Tombstone” direct:
The first week of May 2023, the Traveling Tombstone, Tevat Paul, visited Amsterdam and The Hague, Netherlands. It was a wonderful short excursion during which the first sculpture of the series posed in a few places, and for a good reason: preparations for an exhibition later this year.
A Traveling Tombstone โTevat Paulโ in Amsterdam. Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt. Engraved: โRESPONSIBLE IRRESPONSIBILITY – Paul A. Levineโ.
A few shots also expose a golden scar on one of six sculptureโs diabas-facets created as result of its unfortunate fall while travelling in the US in April 2022.
A Traveling Tombstone โTevat Paulโ visits Amsterdam, Netherlands. Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt.
A Traveling Tombstone โTevat Paulโ visits The Haague, Netherlands. Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt.
โฆAnd most importantly, we are continuing and meeting new and old friends. I sincerely thank all those who have provided and are providing all kinds of support.
A Traveling Tombstone โTevat Paulโ visits Amsterdam, Netherlands. Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt.
Invite our Traveling Exhibition @CONTACT ๐ฉ to your institution and
In his powerful final speech delivered directly from the congress floor (RJC, in 2018), historian Paul A. Levine addressed issues of internationalization of the Holocaust education, ignorance in education and leadership of the US…
After splitting one of its โshouldersโ, Tevat Paul continued traveling to NYC, Montreal and back to Berlinโpartly broken, nevertheless successful.ย
At home, Tevat Paul had to spend several days at the sculptor’s atelier in Berlin Kreuzbergโthe place of its creationโfor a very special treatment, Kintsugi, thoughtfully prepared to both heal and refine its fracture. With the Kintsugi technique, gold is used to attach the broken parts by creating a gold connection that highlights the blemish.
A Traveling Tombstone โTevat Paulโ jeweled with a golden scar, Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt.
It was my cousin Michelle, a social worker in Lynn, Massachusetts, who introduced me to the Kintsugi method, and I am very grateful to her for this truly wonderful idea for the restoration of Tevat Paul. Michelleโs idea of using the traditional Japanese art of pottery restoration, combined with talent, care and love, turned in the sculptor’s hands into a golden scar on the stone.
Since then, our hexahedral โtraveling heroโ, Tevat Paul, is whole again, jeweled with a golden scar.
A Traveling Tombstone โTevat Paulโ jeweled with a golden scar, Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt.
Invite our Traveling Exhibition @CONTACT ๐ฉ to your institution and
PILPAUL Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt. Material: Basalt, 45 x 42 x 34 cm.
The naturally formed hexagonal basalt disk that exposes wheels within a wheel, which are inseparable parts of the same stone piece, should become the third sculpture in the planed seriesA Traveling Stone.
PILPAUL
TEVAT PAUL
BEYAHAD LO NI-PAUL
Our goal
We aim to present the Traveling Tombstone series as a piece of art and a concept in different places, to visit our partners, to find new friends and further support.
YOUR SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL
Invite our Traveling Exhibition @CONTACT ๐ฉ to your institution and
The first week of May 2023, the Traveling Tombstone, Tevat Paul, visited Amsterdam and The Hague, Netherlands. It was a wonderful short excursion during which the first sculpture of the series posed in a few places, and for a good reason: preparations for an exhibition later this year. A few shots also expose a goldenโฆ
“If your heart is broken, make art with the pieces.” โ Shane Koyczan Although in our case we had to collect pieces not of the heart, but of sculpture, the muse was most supportive this time as well. As you may remember, Tevat Paul performed spectacularly in its journey across the North American continent inโฆ
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โ the sculpture No. 2 in the series A Traveling Tombstone
โBEYAHAD LO NI-PAULโ; series: โA Traveling Tombstoneโ; Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt. Material: Jerusalem Limestone, 23 x 23 x 23 cm. Engraved: โRESPONSIBLE IRRESPONSIBILITY Paul A. Levineโ.
On 28. October 2022, there will be the third anniversary of the death of outstanding historian Paul A. Levine. Therefore, I am especially grateful to present the next stone in the series A Traveling Tombstone dedicated to him.
โBEYAHAD LO NI-PAULโ; series: โA Traveling Tombstoneโ; Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt. Material: Jerusalem Limestone, 23 x 23 x 23 cm. Engraved: โRESPONSIBLE IRRESPONSIBILITY Paul A. Levineโ.
Entering History, Paul A. Levineโhistorian, author, and teacherโleft behind outstanding work and his unique archive with several unfinished writings, enriching lectures, and other important materials, as well as an epitaph for his headstone: โResponsible Irresponsibilityโ. Because of Levineโs headstone-less burial place, the project A Traveling Tombstone was started to commemorate his legacy. (Read more about the project A Traveling Tombstone โ the idea.)
The first sculpture in the series, Tevat Paul, is followed now by the next one, named โBEYAHAD LO NI-PAULโ (Together we will not fall). The new sculpture is a true masterpiece, created by the sculptor Robert Schmidt-Matt in his quiet Innenhof-Dachboden studio, in Berlin-Kreuzberg. The presented piece of art is conceived and created with the remarkably unique Jerusalem stone. The historianโs epitaph and his nameโRESPONSIBLE IRRESPONSIBILITY Paul A. Levine1956-2019โare carved into the sculptureโs stone.
Overwhelmed with feelings of joy and sadness, I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the participants, to everyone who supported me and this project with their ideas, words, and deeds.
A few more words about the name BEYAHAD LO NI-PAUL: we owe it to Paz Einat, a molecular biologist and chess problem author from Israel. BEYAHAD LO NI-PAUL (ืืืื ืื ื ืืคืื) means in Hebrew โtogether we will not fallโ, with a word-play on Paul’s name: BEYAHAD LO NI-PAUL instead of LO NIPOL: the Hebrew word (ni)POL is spelled the same as the name Paul. โThere are various slogans around this one, meaning: together we standโ, suggests Paz Einat; โmaybe the one related to Masada is the closest. Although it doesnโt have the word โtogetherโ-ืฉื ืืช ืืฆืื ืื ืชืืคืื โ the exact meaning is: Masada will not fall a second time. And it broadly refers to the state of Israel โ it will not fall againโ.
โBEYAHAD LO NI-PAULโ; series: โA Traveling Tombstoneโ; Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt. Material: Jerusalem Limestone, 23 x 23 x 23 cm. Engraved: โRESPONSIBLE IRRESPONSIBILITY Paul A. Levineโ.โBEYAHAD LO NI-PAULโ; series: โA Traveling Tombstoneโ; Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt. Material: Jerusalem Limestone, 23 x 23 x 23 cm. Perspective: From Above
โBEYAHAD LO NI-PAULโ; series: โA Traveling Tombstoneโ; Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt. Material: Jerusalem Limestone, 23 x 23 x 23 cm
โBEYAHAD LO NI-PAULโ; series: โA Traveling Tombstoneโ; Sculptor: Robert Schmidt-Matt. Material: Jerusalem Limestone, 23 x 23 x 23 cm
Invite our traveling exhibition ๐ฉ @CONTACT to your institution and
The first stop on this unique journey of A Traveling Tombstoneย Tevat Paulย is Toronto, Canada, a country that, according to historian Paul A. Levine,โฆ