Jerusalem Art Guide - January

With the holidays, the new year and the cold weather - it’s easy to sway from discovering new galleries and art in Jerusalem. Here is a list of exhibition that are absolutely worth venturing out for - these exhibitions will warm your soul and mind this January!

I.

Exhibition title: Pravda Pravda
Artists: Zoya Cherkassky
Venue: The Israel Museum
Dates: Opens January 10 2018

Pravda is the first solo exhibition of highly acclaimed Israeli artist, Zoya Cherkassky. The exhibition show will focus on her paintings from recent years that address personal experiences and the collective trials of the Russian immigrant influx to Israel in the early 1990s. In these works that are at times, provocative and defiant, Cherkassky paints a portrait of this cultural encounter that places an unsettling mirror before Israeli society.  

Rabbi's Deliquium, 2016, Oil on linen, Private collection, Israel

II.

Exhibition: Contemporary Arabesque
Artists: Various Artists
Venue: Museum of Islamic Art
Dates: Until April 7th, 2018

Contemporary Arabesque examines how local Palestinian and Israeli artists adopt various motifs associated with the Muslim decorative elements known as arabesque and incorporate them into their work while imbuing their creations with biographical, political and gender related content. The works in the exhibition reflect different approaches to the aesthetic of arabesque: most Israeli artists relate to its form, while Palestinian artists identify it with certain aspects of conservative Islamic culture.

Installation view by Rimma Arslanov

III.

Exhibition: Apparitions
Artist: Gustavo Sagorsky
Venue: Bezalel Academy Photography Department

Solo exhibition by Gustavo Sagorsky. Sagorsky, a fascinating Jerusalem based photographer has an affinity for obsolete objects, their lack of functionality allows him to observe things in a more comprehensive way. This exhibition, Apparitions displays a series of photographs which the artist took over the span of a few years in Jerusalem—displaying mundane objects in a unique light which the artist captured intuitively. For Sagorsky, "Objects are just what they are, their price or value of their components are irrelevant. I like to watch what happens when I get into contact with them and to see the outcome of the act of taking a picture".

Scar, 19,5 cm x 29 cm

Take a tour with Jenna in Jerusalem to discover more!

Jerusalem Art Guide - December

I.

Exhibition: The Art of Utopia
Artists: Various Artists
Venue: Van Leer Institute Jerusalem
Dates: Until March 8th 2018

The Art of Utopia is an international graphic art exhibition reflecting on the idea of the perfect world. This idea has existed for millennia, but the dawn of modernity and the belief that man can create such perfection on his own has given birth to myriad utopian ideas in occidental thought. The Art of Utopia displays posters by 35 renowned artists from around the globe, presenting their take on the possibilities and dangers of the concept of the perfect world. 

II.

Exhibition: Partial Portrait: Fragmented Identities
Artists: Various Artists
Venue: Jerusalem Artists’ House
Dates: On view until January 27th 2018

The exhibition “Partial Portrait” explores the constant tension between the recognition that identities are a jigsaw puzzle of overlapping, clashing, connecting, and retreating parts, and our conviction that we know others. The works by Michal Heiman, Aram Gershuni, Yaron Lapid, and Assaf Shaham resonate the fragmentation of identity as an extensive, broad phenomenon. 

Yaron Lapid, Patterns (03), 2015, photographic composite from found image

III.

Exhibition: Jerusalem in Detail
Artist/s: Aviad Bar-Ness and Asaf Evron
Venue: Israel Museum
Dates: Until January 27th 2018

The exhibition was inspired by David Kroyanker's research, foremost chronicler of Jerusalem architecture, this exhibition focuses on often overlooked but highly symbolic design motifs hidden in the Jerusalem’s streets and buildings. It enables visitors to hone their observational skills and discover the functional and decorative details that say so much about the many nations, cultures, and ways of life that left their mark over the centuries. The display spotlights Jerusalem’s cosmopolitan visual richness and whets the appetite for further exploration of the city.

Take a tour with Jenna in Jerusalem to discover more!

Jerusalem Art Guide - October

If you are visiting Jerusalem this October, the choices for unique art events and exhibitions around the city are in abundance. A few must see events include Manofim Art Festival and The Jerusalem Biennale, but below I’ve narrowed it down to a few events not to be missed. 

I.

Exhibition: Alternative Topographies
Artist: Avner Sher
Venue: Tower of David Museum
Dates: October 8th to November 16th, 2017 

This massive installation on the roof of the Tower of David examined the tension between eternal and the transient, a metaphysical and concrete characteristic of Jerusalem. Avner Sher researches, examines and observes the complexities that result from this tension. The exhibition contains two series, made intensively from worked cork, which refer to the constant state of change and development in the city.  

Image: Avner Sher, Alternative Topographies

II.

Exhibition: Letters to Fritz and Paul
Artist: Inas Halabi
Venue: Al Ma’Mal Foundation for Contemporary Art
Dates: October 11th to November 24th,  2017 

The exhibition explores the expeditions of the Swiss second cousins, lovers and scientists, Fritz and Paul Sarasin who ventured across the Dutch and British colonies as well as parts of Africa and the Middle East between 1893-­1907. Working with original material from the Ethnographic Museum of Basel's archives, Halabi explores the relationship between colonialism and science, ethnographic objects and their collectors, and the settings in which these objects have been placed.

Image: Inas Halabi, Letters to Fritz and Paul

III.

Exhibition: Manofim Contemporary Art Festival
Artist/s: Various Artists    
Venue: Various Venues
Dates: October 24th to October 28th, 2017

This is the 9th annual Manofim Festival for contemporary art, a week which includes a night of exhibition openings throughout the galleries in the city and special events like gallery talks, thought provoking seminars and performances. A word from Manofim founders, Rinat Edelstein and Lee he Shuluv: “ We invite you to take a moment and linger on the city from this unique place, which overlooks the city with a stunning panoramic view. This year, the Festival’s opening night will take place entirely on Mount Scopus. In the following four days, we will wander through the inner parts of the city in the hope to answer the question: “What are we doing in this place? The question “What do we do with art?” which leads the Festival’s annual conference, is revisited in this time of political instability, social and environmental changes, and local and international cultural revolutions.”

Image: Neil Folber Gallery Taking Measures

Image: Ronit Agassi at Ticho House, Jerusalem

Take a tour with Jenna or join her public tour of the Jerusalem Biennale to discover more!

The Top Arty Destinations This Fall

With copious art events to choose from this season, we decided to create a handy list of the top five global arty events we recommend.  

I. 

Event: Vienna Contemporary

Dates: September 21st to September 24th

Venue: Marx Halle | Vienna Karl-Farkas-Gasse 19, 1030 Vienna

Vienna insider, Itai Margula has declared Vienna Contemporary, “a must see in the Viennese art calendar”! This year the fair includes 110 galleries and cultural institutions from 27 different countries and will present the art of over 500 artists. It is precisely this international aspect of the fair that makes it a must for Itai. He told us, “offering an intriguing selection of contemporary art in Central and Eastern Europe together with an exquisite set of Austrian and international galleries, the fair has gained the reputation of bridging the East and the West.” 

“A highlight of the program is ZONE1, an established format showcasing the work of young artists” explained Itai. The ten artists selected for ZONE1 are all below the age of 40 and were either born or educated in Austria. Of the artists highlighted this year, Itai recommends seeing the work of Kay Walkowiak (Zeller van Almsick Gallery), “whose sculptural objects open up a choreography of references on the canon of forms of 20th-century painting”, and Samuel Schaab (Unttld Contemporary), “who developed a performative installation especially for ZONE1.” 

Take a private tour with Itai in Vienna to discover more!

© viennacontemporary / A. Murashkin

II.

Event: Fiac (International Contemporary Art Fair)

Dates: October 19th to October 22nd

Venue: Grand Palais | Avenue Winston Churchill 75008 Paris | and other venues

Our Paris insider, Judith Souriau, couldn't be more ready for Fiac and the exciting energy it brings to the city! "The Fiac week is bursting with events and parties", Judith explained, "and both galleries and museums keep their best shows for that time of year. If you’re into modern and contemporary art it’s definitely the best time to visit Paris". This year Fiac will feature around 180 galleries within the Grand Palais which include both established major galleries and the emerging generation. The Lafayette Sector is best for those visitors inclined towards the younger generation of gallerists, as it was created to seek out and promote galleries who have existed for ten years or less. 

The majority of the fair will be held within the Grand Palais however make sure to explore the Hors les murs (outside the walls) programmes free of cost in the Jardin des Tuileries, Place Vendôme, and Musée Delacroix. Judith is also looking forward to going beyond the walls of the Grand Palais, she said, "I can’t wait to put on my sneakers and walk not only the Fiac but smaller fairs such as Paris Internationale and Asia Now that bring to town the very best of international contemporary art galleries."

Take a private tour with Judith to discover more!

Galerie du Secteur Général: Kohn Gallery / Artiste: Lita Albuquerque / Titre de l'oeuvre: Fibonacci Lunar Activation / Année: 2017 / ©the artiste and Kohn Gallery

III. 

Event: Frieze London

Dates: October 5th to October 8th

Venue: Regent's Park 

“Frieze week is my favourite time of year" our London insider, Marine Tanguy gushed, "I am very much looking forward to seeing the stand of Blum & Poe gallery as it's one of my favourite Los Angeles galleries and Frieze is a great opportunity to visit international art galleries on your doorstep." While Frieze London focuses exclusively on contemporary art Frieze Masters, which is running simultaneously to Frieze London, includes international modern and historical galleries.    

Take a private tour with Marine to discover more!

BIRGIT JÜRGENSSEN, UNTITLED (BODY PROJECTION) (1988/2009) / https://www.galeriewinter.at/en/

IV.

Event: Warsaw Gallery Weekend

Dates: September 22nd to September 24th

Venue: Various Galleries

2017 marks the seventh year of Warsaw Gallery Weekend, a three day activity-packed fair organized by private galleries in the city showcasing contemporary art. The gallery scene in Warsaw is fairly young which makes this fair all the more exciting as the city comes into its own in the art world. Included in the event are two galleries that came to prominence early in the emerging Warsaw scene during the late nineties, Foksal Gallery Foundation and Raster Gallery. Make sure to stop by Raster Gallery on September 22nd for the opening of a show of Mika Tajima’s work called AIR, which coincides with the opening night of Warsaw gallery weekend.   

With 26 galleries throughout the city participating this year we asked our Warsaw insider, Zuzanna Zasacka, to tell us where to start! Zuzanna shared what she’s most excited about, “I am already looking forward to see Wilhelm Sasnal at Foksal Gallery Foundation, Katarzyna Przezwańska at Dawid Radziwszewski Gallery and Odile Bernard Schroeder at Pola Magnetyczne.” 

Take a private tour with Zuzanna to discover more!

V. 

Event: The Jerusalem Biennale

Dates: October 1st to November 16th

Venue: Various Venues 

The 2017 Jerusalem Biennale's title is Watershed, a word which "can be used as a metaphor to help us think about ourselves and the way we split and converge as individuals and groups". The Biennale is primarily interested in exploring the intersections of the Jewish world and contemporary art. We are excited to see how over 200 artists from Israel, Europe, the U.S, Russia and even India explore this theme.  

The juxtaposition of contemporary art within the context of the ancient city of Jerusalem makes this Biennale truly unique. Oh-So-Arty Jerusalem insider, Jenna Romano, said the Biennale "is bigger than ever, and this year features... 27 exhibitions at 8 diverse venues through out the city." One of those unique venues is the Tower of David, a structure dating to the Ottoman Empire.  

Take a private tour with Jenna to discover more!

Dawn/ Hila Ben-Ari /2011

Thumbnail Photo: Gerard & Kelly, State Of © Gerard & Kelly