Amy Winehouse Exhibit Opens At Jewish Museum in London

An exhibit dedicated to the life of singer Amy Winehouse has just opened at The Jewish Museum in London. "Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait" opened to the public on Tuesday. 

The exhibit is a joint project between Amy's brother Alex Winehouse and his wife, curator Liz Selby. It's comprised of previously unreleased photographs of the deceased star, along with a number of items used in both her public and private life. Among her private possessions exhibited are a number of books from her personal library and discs from her CD collection. Museum chief executive Abigail Morris says that there's enough to the exhibit for repeat viewings. 

"It carries on being moving," she said. "Every time I go around there is something else that catches me. It is a really honest exhibition and you get a sense of the real person-as well as being a big, famous icon she was from a very strong, loving family and that really comes across."

Many fans may be surprised that such an exhibit takes place in a Jewish museum. Winehouse's tattoos, music and substance abuse issues certainly don't seem kosher. But Selby maintains that the singer was proud of her Jewish ancestry. 

"Amy herself said that her Jewishness is really about family, and I think that really comes across very strongly in the exhibition," Selby said. "You get to see lots of exhibition related to her family life. In terms of her Jewishness, she was more of a cultural Jew, but she and her family did partake in religious ceremonies."

Winehouse's brother echoed the sentiment, saying that the "Rehab" singer was "proud of her London-Jewish roots." 

Selby said the ultimate point of the exhibit is to shed light on Winehouse as a person, and not just tabloid fodder. 

"I think what we're trying to do in the exhibition is show her as a well-rounded person," she said. "A person with faults,  a person with some great, positive traits as well."