Paperback Edition
ISBN: 9781558617681
Publication Date: 05-01-2012

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Growing up an Orthodox Jew in Brooklyn, Helene Aylon spent her Friday nights in a sea of extended family as the Sabbath candles flickered. Passionate about art, she dreamt of escaping the strict, secular world of her youth, but instead married a rabbi and became a mother of two. Then, her world was split apart when her husband was diagnosed with cancer, and Aylon found herself widowed at thirty.

Free to explore both her own soul and the changing world around her, Aylon sought a home in the burgeoning environmental art scene of the 1970s—creating transgressive works that explore identity, women’s bodies, the environment, disarmament, and the notion of God. Finally, she dares to asks of Judaism: Where are the women?

“In this richly evocative, captivating, and reflective memoir, Aylon describes her personal and professional evolution . . . The inclusion of rare, evocative personal photographs and documents complete this revealing portrait, making it of great interest to anyone interested in Judaism’s intersections with art and feminism.” —Publishers Weekly

"Never afraid to question sacred texts, ancient rituals, and religious bias—Aylon is a role model for all artists. Whatever Is Contained is an arresting tale of uncommon courage, intelligence, and wit." —Gail Levin, author of Becoming Judy Chicago