We kicked off our ART BASEL coverage really early  this year  when we went to the Opening of Miami based photographer Zachary Balber stunning exhibit TAMIM at Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU , and we managed to get a few words with the ebullient and disarmingly charming man himself.

Balber explained that the Hebrew word TAMIM translates as “pure”, “unblemished”, and “complete”. In his  photos he presents images of men, all Jewish themselves, who whether disenfranchised, marginalized, tormented by hurt or simply for vanity, sought to change their outward appearances. Balber engaged the subjects of the photo series in addressing their own Jewish identities by including his personal Bar Mitzvah Kippah in all of the photos.

Balber connected with the men he photographed while rediscovering his own heritage. Some of the photos in the series depict members of his family who influenced his search for his Jewish identity , however Balber himself has no tattoos.

ZACHARY BALBER
TAMIM
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA
UNTIL MARCH 15TH 2020