IN CELEBRATION OF LIGHT AND LIBERTY AT THE SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER

Hannukah Lamp Designed by American Sculptor Zachary Oxman for the Official Residence of the Vice President of the United States on View Beginning December 2, 2025

: Zachary Oxman (b. 1968). In Celebration of Light and Liberty, 2024. Stainless steel, copper, and granite. Vice President’s Residence Foundation.

December 2, 2025, Los Angeles, Calif. The Skirball Cultural Center will display In Celebration of Light and Liberty, a special Hanukkah lamp designed by Jewish American artist Zachary Oxman for the official residence of the Vice President of the United States. The Hanukkah lamp, often referred to as a menorah, will be on view beginning December 2, 2025, and available for free viewing by visitors.

“The Skirball Cultural Center was built to celebrate the intersection of Jewish values and American democratic ideals,” said Jessie Kornberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Skirball. “Every Hanukkah we notice how one small light from a shamash candle can touch its neighborsand spread light with its persistent flame. Every Hanukkah we rekindle hope with stories of perseverance in challenging times. The loan of the Oxman Hanukkah lamp is surely the most poignant and meaningful example of these values and the promise we all can make to spread goodness and hope.”

First displayed when the former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff lived in the residence, this Hanukkah lamp blends Jewish tradition with American history. Oxman shaped the lamp like a pomegranate tree, a symbol with deep meaning in Judaism. The arms evoke tree branches, with leaves made from copper salvaged from the old roof of the Grand Salon at Ellis Island, the first point of entry to the United States for millions of immigrants,

including many Jews from Central and Eastern Europe.

On loan from the Vice President’s Residence Foundation, admission is not required to view In Celebration of Light and Liberty, which will be displayed in the Skirball’s main lobby.

Hanukkah Festival

The display of In Celebration of Light and Liberty coincides with the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, which commemorates the freedom that the Maccabees fought to preserve nearly 2,000 years ago. It is a winter festival observed by Jews around the world who gather with family and friends to light a Hanukkah menorah for eight nights—bringing more light into the world during the darkest season of the year.

The Skirball’s annual Hanukkah Festival will lead into the first night of Hanukkah, taking place on Sunday, December 14, from 12:00-5:00 pm. Hanukkah Festival at the Skirball engages families from all communities and backgrounds with music, storytelling, food, art making, and a community candle lighting ceremony. For ticket prices and more information, visit skirball.org/hanukkah-fest.

About the Artist

Zachary Oxman (b. 1968) is an American sculptor renowned for his evocative figurative works that explore the nuances of human experience. Oxman studied Baroque sculpture in Florence, Italy, and earned his BFA in Sculpture from Carnegie Mellon University in 1990. For over three decades, Oxman’s work has been commissioned for public spaces and major private collections across the country. His sculptures have been exhibited at institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the American Craft Museum in New York, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. His work is part of the White House Collection of American Crafts and numerous permanent installations throughout the United States. More information is available on the artist’s website: zacharyoxman.com.

About the Skirball Cultural Center

The Skirball Cultural Center (skirball.org) is a place of meeting guided by the Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by the American democratic ideals of freedom and equality. We welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope, foster human connections, and call upon us to help build a more just society.

Visiting the Skirball Cultural Center

The Skirball is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049. Museum hours:

Tuesday–Friday, 12:00–5:00 pm; Saturday–Sunday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm; closed Mondays and

holidays. Parking is free. Admission is not required to view In Celebration of Light and Liberty.

Reservations are recommended for General Admission and the permanent exhibition Noah's Ark at the Skirball, which requires timed entry and is ticketed separately. $18 General; $13 Seniors, Full- Time Students, and Children. Admission is always free to Skirball Members and children under 2. For general information, the public may call (310) 440-4500 or visit skirball.org.