YIVO and the Center for Jewish History Present a New Exhibit

Psychedelicatessen: A Powerful Dose of Art by Steve Marcus

(New York, NY) – The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research (YIVO) and the Center for Jewish History (CJH) are thrilled to announce Psychedelicatessen: A Powerful Dose of Art by Steve Marcus. It is a kaleidoscopic new exhibition that presents a vibrant mashup of 1960s counterculture and Jewish culture through the trippy lens of underground artist Steve Marcus. The exhibition opens to the public on Thursday, July 9, 2026, and will remain on view through December 2026. To celebrate the exhibition's opening, an official launch event that evening will feature YIVO Senior Academic Advisor & Director of Exhibitions Eddy Portnoy in conversation with Steve Marcus.

Psychedelicatessen layers the familiar symbols and signposts of 1960s counterculture with Jewish lore, transforming them into colorful visual parodies. Inspired by the psychedelic art of the 1960s, Jewish culture, and vernacular graphics, Marcus has created a body of work that intertwines Jewish tradition with the visual aesthetics of the Jewish delicatessen and hippie subcultures. The exhibition features more than 30 original paintings, prints, and sculptures, including such imaginative creations as etrog love beads and Shabbos bong candlesticks. Blending humor, nostalgia, spirituality, and pop culture, Marcus' work marks the only place where Maimonides meets the Grateful Dead as they both drink Dr. Brown's soda.

At the heart of Psychedelicatessen is an exploration of cultural memory from multiple perspectives. Marcus draws upon the rich heritage of Eastern European Jewry and the immigrant experience in America, reimagining these traditions through bold colors, layered imagery, and inventive juxtapositions. His artwork invites viewers to consider how Jewish identity is preserved, transformed, and continually reinvented across generations.

"Sometimes in life one is blessed with the perfect match, the ultimate fit or a destined collaboration and this collection of work seamlessly blends my past and present state perfectly," said Marcus.

Learn more about the exhibition: yivo.org/Psychedelicatessen

Exhibition Opening:

What:           Psychedelicatessen: A Powerful Dose of Art by Steve Marcus
                      YIVO Senior Academic Advisor & Director of Exhibitions Eddy Portnoy in conversation with Steve Marcus.
When:           Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 7:00pm ET
Where:          Taking place at the Center for Jewish History (15 West 16th Street, New York, NY)
Cost:              Free
Reservations Available at:  yivo.org/Psychedelicatessen-Opening

Co-sponsored by YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and the Center for Jewish History.

For more information contact:
Shelly Freeman
Chief of Staff | YIVO Institute for Jewish Research
Cell: 929.253.5880

Ilana Rosenbluth
Director of Communications | Center for Jewish History
Cell: 201.240.0845

YIVO

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is dedicated to the preservation and study of the history and culture of Eastern European Jewry worldwide. For over a century, YIVO has pioneered new forms of Jewish scholarship, research, education, and cultural expression. Our public programs and exhibitions, as well as online and on-site courses, extend our global outreach and enable us to share our vast resources. The YIVO Archives contains more than 24 million original items, and YIVO’s Library has over 400,000 volumes—the single largest resource for such study in the world. yivo.org / yivo.org/the-whole-story

Center for Jewish History

For 25 years, the Center for Jewish History has been dedicated to preserving and mobilizing Jewish history. Through a robust array of public exhibitions, programs, and scholarship, the Center fosters a deeper understanding of Jewish life. cjh.org