It’s hard to give this peace exhibition a chance

Bottom line: A superficial look at the concept of peace as largely seen through the vantage of one photographer's portraiture.

In theory, an exhibition devoted to the idea of peace might seem like a good idea.

But great exhibitions aren’t necessarily made from concepts everyone can agree upon and the hope for peace proves an especially thin, facile concept as it is presented in “Peace: What Does It Mean To You?” at the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum.

Achieving world peace, it turns out, can be a notion that sounds as banal coming from the lips of the ordinary people quoted in this exhibition as it does when spouted as the ultimate campaign platform cliche by Miss America contestants.

The exhibition centers on black and white photographs accompanied by short essays in which a cross-section of Midwesterners offer their ideas of what peace means and how to achieve it.

The show originated with Minnesota-based photographer John Noltner, who has surveyed a group of his fellow state residents for their thoughts on peace. The field is top-loaded with ministers, rabbis, academics, activists, students and artists. But, despite the tendency for self-reflection such pursuits suggest, their abbreviated, edited pronouncements on peace prove largely superficial and often profoundly lacking in insight.

Not surprisingly, justice, access to resources and the absence of war are all described as the foundation of peace. Ideas like “listen” and “don’t fight” are invoked by the participants as peaceful solutions. “Trying to understand one another is a huge step towards peace” says poet and singer Kim Smith in one of the bromides that tend to define this exhibition.

Noltner’s uninspired portraits set the tone for an exhibition that doesn’t feel as if it’s gone out on a limb, either conceptually or visually. The photos at the center of the exhibition are straightforward, city magazine-style portraits whose subjects tend to regard the camera with a gentle, imploring look as if engaged in the mild psychological strain of visualizing world peace.

Perhaps recognizing the limitations of this largely wall-bound, static presentation, the Breman organizers have attempted to solicit audience interactivity. But such efforts come off as badly conceived efforts to create engagement and responsiveness. Audiences are encouraged to contribute to a peace timeline by submitting their suggestions to a drop-box.

The timeline begins in 1914 and ends in 2014, that arbitrary time frame introduced with a quote from writer H.G. Wells who said that World War I was “the war to end war.”

A nearby “selfie” board asks visitors to take their photo next to a cartoon thought bubble visitors fill-in with their personal peace message.

Such efforts seem to spring from a recognition that, on their own, Noltner’s photographs are a one-way message. Additional attempts to embellish the peace portraits come off as ineffective and strained, like artist Macey Ley’s installation “All the Places I’ve Never Been and Some I Have,” in which visitors enter a small round room created from a curtain of red ribbons where they listen to a female voice encouraging meditation and reflection, a proposed training ground for peace.

Had “Peace” proved more investigative, confrontational or intelligent, it might provide solace in the sadly war-torn, fractious times we find ourselves living in. As it is, the show listlessly bats the idea of peace around as a conceptual riddle, only adding to the frustration of ever achieving this elusive concept.