Charter Oak Cultural Center kicks off its 11th annual Celebration of Jewish Arts and Culture with Contra-Nation, a solo show by artist Elliott Katz.

Growing up on a vegetable farm in rural Vermont within an earthy, multi-ethnic family, Katz’s artistic practice in part represents the collision of two cultural histories: his mother is a third generation Japanese American and his father is of Russian Jewish descent. Their communities intersected in Southern New Jersey after significant international upheaval in the 20th century that led to their separate relocation as agricultural laborers. They were both the first generation in their families to intermarry.