Chaya Mushka Features Crown Heights Artist

Hendel Futerfas showed his artwork at Congregation Beth Tefillah in Sandy Springs during the main annual fundraiser for the Chaya Mushka Children’s House preschool Sunday, April 22.

Among other works, Futerfas showcased his popular “Formation” series. The sequence is an extension of a wood sculpture series he completed during a residency in South Korea and depicts concepts of growth and evolution.

Futerfas was born in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights in 1988 and shares the name of the father of contemporary Hasidic art, Hendel Lieberman.

He pledged a portion of his proceeds to CMCH, a pioneering Jewish Montessori school based at Beth Tefillah. The preschool, under the direction of Dassie New, combines quality Judaic and general studies with the warmth and passion of the Chabad philosophy.

“Our theme for this year was ‘The Year of Creativity.’ An artist like Hendel, who integrates contemporary art with Jewish experiences, was the perfect choice for our main event,” she said.

Hendel Futerfas speaks about his life and work.

Attendees circled Beth Tefillah’s social hall, soaking in Futerfas’ transformative pieces, before hearing from the artist. He described how he grew up in the Hasidic community of Crown Heights and how he found his early inspiration from Lieberman, his great-uncle.

“Hendel’s evocative pieces were very well received by the attendees,” said Musha New, who organized and co-chaired the event with Jessica Kraitzick. “His impressions of Jewish life today will enhance many Atlanta homes for many years to come.”

The artist said he has “several exciting projects in the pipeline” and looks forward to sharing them with the public in the next few months.

More of his work can be seen at HendelFuterfas.com and on Instagram (@h_e_n_d_e_l).