NEW YORK.-The Castillo Theatre presents “Hidden Images,” an exhibition of paintings by the contemporary Austrian artist, Wolf Werdigier, that reveal the personal, human and emotional toll of the Middle East conflict and the dreams and hopes of ordinary residents of the region. The exhibit runs through Sunday, October 30 at the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues), New York. “Hidden Images,” which premiered in Israel and the West Bank, features painting by the artist based on interviews he conducted with Israelis and Palestinians. The gallery show, co-sponsored by the Austrian Cultural Forum, also includes several new works by Mr. Werdigier that explore race in America. The new paintings emerged from interviews the artist conducted earlier this year in New York City. The original exhibit, which toured in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ramallah, will be making its New York and North American premiere.

Mr. Werdigier grew up in post-World War II Europe. His father was a Jewish concentration camp survivor and his mother a Christian. He began the “Hidden Images” project in Israel in 2001. In 2005 the artist conducted interviews with over 40 New Yorkers of diverse ethnic backgrounds and ages from which he created the new works exploring race in America, which will be included in this exhibition.