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.