Curatorial notes

Kikel is a deeply personal exploration of Jewish identity, memory, and resilience. Drawing upon a family story connected to his grandfather's immigration through Ellis Island, Bernstein reclaims a word that was historically transformed into an ethnic slur and reinterprets it as a symbol of pride and belonging. The painting's vibrant colors, expressive figures, handwritten text, and recurring circular forms echo the narrative's central motif: the simple circle, or kikel, from which a complex history emerged. Rather than focusing on victimhood, Bernstein celebrates continuity, ancestry, and the enduring strength of Jewish identity. By combining autobiography with cultural memory, Kikel transforms a painful historical association into an affirmation of heritage, dignity, and self-definition.