An Open Letter to University Presidents
5 min read
Juliet Gilden is using her paintbrush to fight antisemitism and advocate on behalf of the Jewish people.
“I believe that all art is a statement,” Juliet Gilden, a Baltimore-based artist, said in an aish.com interview. “There are certain subjects that occupy my mind and I feel driven to paint and tell stories about them. The topics that are most important to me are women's rights and, my biggest issue, antisemitism. It has been referred to as the world's oldest hatred because it's so persistent and appears to reach everybody throughout all times. Antisemitism also erupts into the worst kinds of violence. It is because of these reasons that I feel the need to speak out about it and protect the people that I feel have been the most vulnerable now and throughout history.”
Juliet – whose biggest inspiration is her mother, the late artist Miriam Bransky Gilden – is well known for her portrait of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which she posted on social media following Ginsburg’s death in the fall of 2020. It soon appeared in The Washington Post.
“An editor reached out and asked if she could place my RBG image alongside the portraits of other artists from around the world,” she said. “That Sunday it appeared in a special Washington Post section about Ginsburg's life.”
The portrait of RBG fell perfectly in line with Juliet’s mission to show the world the strength of Jewish woman.
“As a Jewish woman myself, I always feel empowered when I read or hear about Jewish women who have accomplished great things despite the odds that are against them,” she said. “It's important to continuously tell the stories of these women so the world is aware and does not forget about what they have accomplished. Painting their portraits is a way that I can personally keep their legacies alive and ensure that each generation gets a chance to learn about them anew.”
Juliet was born into an artistic home. While her mother Miriam was a painter, her father, Jerry, was a photographer. Together, they established their company, Gilden Bransky Art, and they owned an art gallery where they displayed their work – and a young Juliet’s work as well.
Juliet Gilden
“As a young girl I loved to draw and paint and make collages,” Juliet said. “I made my first sale at the age of seven in their gallery when my mother displayed a few of my collages. An interior decorator came in and purchased all four pieces.”
Juliet ended up attending the prestigious Maryland Institute College of Art, one of the oldest art colleges in America, and perfected her craft there. After college graduation, she made her second sale and said, “from that point on, I have been displaying and selling my work professionally.”
When Juliet decides on a new subject to paint, she takes into consideration what her message will be. Will she depict a strong Jewish woman? Will she point out antisemitism in society? Will she create a piece that advocates for Israel? As an artist, she knows what kind of power she has.
“Creating art and sending messages through symbols is about as old as humanity itself,” she said. “Creative expression, especially through art, has always been a human impulse. Even going back to the time of caves we can see that imagery was the beginning of language, persuasion, and message. It's practically one of the most essential parts of being human. Art has always been both revered and feared because of its power and in today's age of social media and advanced technology it is only more powerful and important. It is up to us to use that power responsibly and for good.”
Baby Kfir Bibas
Following October 7, Juliet became vocal about supporting Israel and the Jewish people, posting a portrait of the kidnapped Baby Kfir Bibas to her Instagram and calling out celebrities for wearing the red pins in support of Palestine to the Oscars, which actually symbolized Israelis who were murdered in October 2000 in Ramallah.
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With everything happening in Israel and the diaspora Jewish communities, Juliet is trying to use her voice and talents for good.
“Now that social media exists, each of us has a public platform where we can voice our thoughts and anyone in the whole world can view them,” she said. “For me, painting my ideas and opinions comes naturally. It's my hope that through my imagery I'm able to show a unique perspective about what happened on October 7 and about antisemitism in general. I always try to encourage a different way of viewing things and ignite conversation and in-depth thinking.”
Seeing the facts about what’s going on may not be enough. Words may not be, either. But art – Juliet believes – can have the power to evoke change, to make people see an issue differently and fully understand an important message. That’s what drives her to keep creating.
Miriam
“Sometimes communication through words erupts defensive feelings in people,” she said. “Conveying ideas through art has the ability to combat the defensive element and go straight to the reason and logic. People are left to ponder the messaging on their own as they view the work; and the debate takes place peacefully and intelligently in the mind of the viewer. Paintings and really any creative communication all have the power, the most power really, to reach and persuade people. In the end, every argument and war are won on the page or the canvas, far more than they are on the battlefield.”
Anne Frank
