A Novel Interpretation of the Jewish Museum Based on Intertextual and Symbolic Criticism

Subject Areas : architecture

Foozhan babaii ¹ , Zahra KhosroAbadi ² , Sara Dashtgard ^{3 *}

1 - Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
3 - Assistant professor, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Has.C., Islamic Azad University, Hashtgerd, Iran.

Received: 2025-01-14 Accepted : 2025-09-05 Published : 2025-09-23

Keywords: Jewish Museum, Libeskind, Semiotics, Work to text, Intertextual Reading, Symbolic Spaces,

Abstract :

This article analyzes the Jewish Museum Berlin from the perspective of Roland Barthes’s “work-to-text” and “intertextuality” theories. The “work-to-text” perspective considers the building as an open text whose meanings are shaped through the interaction of the audience and individual experience, while the “intertextual” critique situates it within a network of historical, cultural, and artistic texts. By creating a dynamic dialogue between sacred texts, historical documents, and contemporary narratives, Jewish museums have redefined Jewish identity not as a fixed concept but as a fluid, evolving process. This intertextual approach has transformed museums into dynamic spaces of interpretation that are constantly rethinking the relationship between past and present. A semiotic examination of the architectural elements in these museums—from Libeskind’s empty spaces to ascending spirals—shows that these elements function as a three-dimensional text, encoding Jewish experiences of discontinuity and continuity. These symbolizations have transformed museums beyond mere displays of objects into multisensory environments. Rather than presenting linear, one-sided narratives, Jewish museums explicitly depict the contradictions of Jewish collective memory—such as the coexistence of grief and hope, or suffering and resilience. This research, employing a qualitative approach and semiotic analysis, examines the formal, spatial, luminous, and design elements of the museum and their relationship to related historical and cultural texts. The use of intertextuality theories in architecture helps to better understand architectural space and interpret this work as a text connected with other preceding texts. The analysis of the Jewish Museum, designed by Daniel Libeskind, sheds light on the historical and cultural dimensions of this building, considering both semiotics and intertextuality. The Jewish Museum Berlin, viewed through the lens of Roland Barthes’s “work-to-text” and “intertextuality” theories, demonstrates the semantic and semiotic complexities of this building. As an open and dynamic text, the museum is constantly creating and recreating meaning through the audience’s interaction with its spaces and architectural elements. Likewise, an intertextual reading of the Jewish Museum Berlin reveals that this building, as part of a vast network of cultural, artistic, and historical works, is in continuous dialogue with other works of art and historical monuments. As a memorial space, the museum conveys concepts such as absence, dispersion, and suffering through its architectural forms and voids, while simultaneously providing a platform for individual experiences and diverse interpretations. A new reading of Jewish museums through intertextual critique and semiotics can lead to a deeper understanding of Jewish history and culture. These methods not only enable the examination of texts and symbols but also analyze the relationships between them and their cultural and historical influences. Ultimately, such an analysis can help enrich our understanding of Jewish identity and the historical experiences of this people. In conclusion, contemporary Jewish museums, by skillfully combining intertextuality and symbolism, have created a new paradigm of critical museology that both inherits tradition and emphasizes the construction of a different future. These museums are not only preservers of the past but also workshops for the formation of identity in the future

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