Born in Guatemala in 1968, Jaime Permuth finished high school in Guatemala City, then earned a full scholarship and graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a dual major, a bachelor of arts in psychology and English literature. From there, he was off to New York City where he completed a master of fine arts in photography degree from the School of Visual Arts.

Armed with a passion for creativity and a drive to produce quality, thought-provoking work, Permuth’s professional credentials include experience as a fine art printer and an artist/educator. Through the Elders Share the Arts 2000 program, he developed and taught a curriculum in collaboration with the Asian American Cultural Center. In another workshop, Revisions of El Barrio, he worked with El Museo del Barrio and the International Center for Photography. With grants, awards, commissions and exhibitions, Permuth has already accomplished more at 36 than many who are double his years.

His recent Manhattan Mincha Map is a photodocumentary of all the places in Manhattan (NYC) were Jewish men gather to recite Mincha, the afternoon prayer. Permuth explains, “… Mincha proposes that one see sacrifice as the possibility of interrupting the rush of work long enough to render a daily tribute to the soul. One world unfolds into another, material pursuit is replaced by spiritual openness, anxiety by internal solace.” The show was premiered at the Museum of the City of New York in a virtual exhibition launched online at www.mcny.org but if you’re in Guatemala this month, you can forgo a trip through cyberspace. The show will be on exhibit at IGA/Instituto Guatemalteco Americano. (See DATEBOOK listing for Fri., Sept. 10th.) • —TKB