Artist Statement — Alex Goldblum
The Knights of Jaffa was created as an act of cultural preservation — a visual anthropology project dedicated to documenting memory, identity, sacred landscapes, and the lived experience of the Jewish diaspora before these histories are lost to time. Through photography, documentary writing, and film, the series seeks to transform observation into historical testimony, preserving the human spirit within places shaped by centuries of faith, conflict, exile, and resilience.”
More than a book series, The Knights of Jaffa is an archive of cultural memory — an effort to preserve the emotional, spiritual, and historical landscapes of the Holy Land through the lens of visual storytelling and documentary truth.
A Biography of Alex Goldblum
Alex Goldblum is an American documentary filmmaker, photographer, author, and media educator whose body of work spans over two decades and five continents. His films, photography, and literary projects capture the intersections of politics, history, religion, art, and culture, often illuminating stories overlooked by mainstream narratives. Through documentary cinema, visual anthropology, and independent publishing, Goldblum has developed a multidisciplinary body of work dedicated to cultural preservation, historical inquiry, and cross-cultural dialogue.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Goldblum developed an early passion for media and storytelling. A graduate of Taylor Allderdice High School, he was deeply involved in student media, serving as an editor of the Senior Video and working as a student teacher in video production for Pittsburgh Public Schools’ after-school programs. Goldblum first learned to shoot and edit video at Pittsburgh Filmmakers Institute, where he completed three apprenticeships. He went on to study Film and Media Arts at Temple University, and later earned a Master of Arts in Media Studies from The New School.
Goldblum’s documentary films are noted for their careful blend of investigative research, visual artistry, and human-centered narratives. His early work, The Snake Charmer, shot on location in India, explores the cultural heritage of traditional snake charmers and performers and was screened at the Lahore Theatre Festival in Pakistan and distributed by Documentary Educational Resources. His feature-length documentary The Thin Green Line examines the complex socio-political landscape of Israel and Palestine through cinema verité film techniques, observational documentary filmmaking, and historical analysis. Filmed on location across Israel and the Palestinian territories, the documentary explores issues of identity, nationalism, religion, conflict, and coexistence in one of the world’s most contested regions. The film reflects Goldblum’s longstanding interest in peacebuilding and international affairs, while also documenting the daily realities of people living amid political tension and historical division. The trailer aired on the Ynet News Network in Tel Aviv, and the documentary earned an Award of Recognition from The IndieFEST Film Awards in San Diego.
Closely connected to this body of work is Goldblum’s literary and photographic project, The Knights of Jaffa, an ambitious independent publishing series exploring Jewish history, identity, spirituality, diaspora culture, geopolitics, and the historical relationship between Israel and the broader Middle East. Combining photography, essays, travel writing, visual anthropology, political commentary, and documentary observations, the series examines both ancient and modern dimensions of Jewish civilization and life in Israel. Drawing from Goldblum’s travels throughout Jerusalem, Jaffa, Tel Aviv, the West Bank, and other historically significant regions, the books document sacred landscapes, religious traditions, urban life, and the cultural complexity of the Holy Land. The series also reflects on themes of memory, exile, interfaith coexistence, and the continuing search for peace in the region. Goldblum’s companion documentary project, The Thin Green Line, serves as a cinematic counterpart to the literary themes explored in The Knights of Jaffa book series, extending the project into long-form visual storytelling and investigative documentary filmmaking.
Goldblum’s experimental video I Love You So Much won an honorable mention award from the Beijing Film Academy in 2005. Other key works include Visions of The Stone City, which was broadcast on WQED, Brooklyn Bohemian, and The Living Theatre: Poetry, Politics, and Protest, which documents America’s oldest experimental theatre company. In The Raj of Dhrangadhra: The Coronation of The 47th Jhallesvar, Goldblum chronicled a rare royal coronation in Gujarat, India, providing historical insight into the Kingdom of Jhalavad.
An accomplished photographer and independent publisher, Goldblum has developed an extensive catalog of visual books and documentary publications. His independent publishing catalog now contains more than 50 photography and art books spanning documentary photography, travel, architecture, religion, urban studies, graffiti art, and cultural history. He is the author of Graffiti and Street Art, featuring over 320 images captured across cities such as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, and international locations including Italy, Israel, Palestine, and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. His photographic projects often document urban life, sacred spaces, cultural landmarks, and historic sites, as seen in titles including The Knights of Jaffa: Notes From the Jewish Diaspora and The Raj of Dhrangadhra: A Photo Book. Through both traditional documentary photography and experimental visual essays, Goldblum’s publishing work bridges journalism, anthropology, and fine art.
In addition to filmmaking and photography, Goldblum has served as an Adjunct Faculty member at Community College of Allegheny County, where he taught video production and non-linear video editing. He is the founder of Goldblum Media, a production company focused on documentary film, archival preservation, multimedia storytelling, and independent publishing. His professional experience includes work as a Video Engineer at The Media Preserve, where he performed archival video transfers for institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University.
Passionate about international peacebuilding, Goldblum is also formerly an advisor and fundraiser for the Jhallesvar Philanthropic Charitable Trust. He has traveled to more than 25 countries, and his global experiences continue to inform his media work, writing, and documentary practice.
A native son of Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze neighborhood, Goldblum draws inspiration from the city’s cultural legacy — including a personal encounter with Fred Rogers, whose ethos of kindness, curiosity, and human understanding resonates throughout Goldblum’s work. His YouTube playlist, The Essential Alex Goldblum Video Playlist, offers a curated overview of his filmography and creative projects, reflecting his ongoing commitment to truth, artistry, cultural memory, and cross-cultural understanding.
“Through documentary film, photography, and literary storytelling, Alex Goldblum continues to preserve cultural memory and explore the fragile intersection between history, identity, spirituality, and human experience — creating works that serve not only as art, but as enduring historical testimony.”