galerie davide gallo

'The age of a different reaction'

recent works by

Rona Yefman
Jan Tichy
Nir Evron
A.Littman & R. Zahavi
Benjamin Reich

Opening
16th January 2009

on view until March 2009

11:00 am to 6:00 pm
(from Tuesday to Saturday)

Scroll for German and Italian version

On Friday January 16th 2009, galerie davide gallo has the pleasure to present the exhibition 'The Age of a Different Re-Action', a project that includes 5 artists and 7 works, two of which are the result of specific cooperation. This show was scheduled long time ago, now, when the Middle East situation is so difficult, it wants to present the new Israeli art scene and its capacity to tell the facts from a different perspective. This show gives me the chance to send a sincere message of peace to the Middle East.

I think that Ariane Littman & Reuven Zahavi, Benjamin Reich, Jan Tichy, Nir Evron and Rona Jefman are artists, who in such an antique society like Europe, you would dare to define as 'counterculture' figures, but in a relatively recent world like Israel they don't own such a strong conscience to be considered 'counterculture' at all. All these artists have made of their own art not only a mere esthetical experience but a real mean for social communication. Furthermore they have been able to transform their personal condition and their own connected perception of the sociopolitical phenomena in a wider sphere and - to use a common word - in a 'global' form.

Please find below excepts from the artists description's of the works.

Ariane Littman & Reuven Zahavi, 'Kissufim Labyrinth', 2008, 3D video animation, 6-06 min. 'It is part of an ongoing project started in 2006 tackling the blurring of the senses and consequently the distortion of reality. A condition which in the long term leaves the individual vulnerable and powerless without a feeling of perspective, prisoner between security concerns and occupation, peace and war declarations but more acutely, lost in a physical and metaphysical existential labyrinth with no beginning and no end.' (Littman)
Littman & Zahavi, live and work in Jerusalem, a place that has strongly influenced their art. 'The fact that I have been living and working in Jerusalem has certainly affected the primary visual, political and cultural content my work leans on... As a city that aspires to expand, mark or create boundaries, Jerusalem offers a charged challenge to art making... This is an urban reality of national and religious conflicts...' (Zahavi)

Benjamin Reich, 'Friday Bath', 2008, video slide show, 4-52 min. 2008, Benjamin Reich's videos are dealing with deep feelings of friendship, sometimes homosexuality, among adolescents in the Israeli ultra orthodox communities. His recent video work 'Friday Bath' was shooted in Lifta, during the bath time, a sacred-considered moment by the orthodox culture. There are many natural springs around Jerusalem used for religious purposes. These places hide some kind of magic and pagan atmosphere. In the orthodox culture every single human action has to be dedicated to God. In Reich's work this deep and intimate friendship feeling is a further gift to God. 'Immersion... is a commandment which requires immersing the entire body under water. The immersed body has to be nude and any separation between it and the water is prohibited. During the immersion, while the supply of oxygen is interrupted, we are at the gate between life and death and at that moment we instinctively recognize our creator and communicate with Him.' (Reich)

Jan Tichy, 'Installation N¡6 - Tubes', Video Installation 10 min, tv-monitor, paper objects, sound. Through his work Jan Tichy faces the relationship between light and shadow and how these two elements recreate and redefine and sometimes disclose, spaces and forms. Tichy's works usually contain objects simply made from white paper and presented in darkness. The objects are illuminated by a video projection, using mostly white time based shapes. In the work 'installation no. 6 (tubes)' about 200 paper objects, open tubes of various dimensions, stand on a screen of a television monitor. The black and white abstract animation illuminates the tubes and creates a movement inside the sculpture. The video is synchronized with sound that comes out through the built in speakers in the monitor. The sound is a recording of the electricity charge produced by the monitor itself while playing the video. Jan Tichy's spaces live in a suspended dimension, the eternal agony of an unstable and continuously threatened place.

Nir Evron, 'In Virgin Land', 2008, video, 15-52 min For this work the artist made a research and found a list of names, some well known like Gustave Flaubert or Hermann Melville, some not so popular who have all in common a journey to Middle East told in a diary. A background voice reads this text '...comprised of fragments taken from 10 different accounts, written by travellers, and visitors to the land through the ages. They are pilgrims, writers, scientists, military men. The texts are edited in a way that they suggest one's journey through space and time...producing a strange feeling of being out of time.' (Evron)
Nir Evorn's filmed places are virgin, not touched by man yet. The land is the main character of this video. The artist aims to tell the different stories that this part of the world has seen through the years: '... a land that is the heart of the conflict. This land appears empty of any human presence only to expose the multitude of approaches and its concerns.'

Rona Yefman, 'Pippi Longstoking', 2008, video, 3-05 min. What would happen if one day the last female heroine, who is not scared by anything, the strongest woman in the world, arrived in Israel and found the West Bank wall to be as an obstacle for her? She would probably try to remove it, not considering the meaning and consequences of her action. And this is what happens in the video Pippi Longstoking by Rona Yefman, a work between the video and performance concept, made together with the Danish artist Tanja Schlander. In her work, Rona Yefman tells about the esoteric and the unseen, she is strongly interested in the distance between what we are and what we would like to be. 'Using the fantasy of fiction to confront the reality, I want to promote the idea that change is always in a constant dialogue with historical precedents and physical boundaries, but that in essence it is always the will of thee individual that contributes to a positive reformation of any political conflict.' (Yefman)

Die galerie davide gallo stellt am Freitag, den 16. Januar 2009, die Gruppenausstellung 'The Age of a different Re-Action' vor, ein Projekt, das 5 Kuenstler und 7 Werke beinhaltet von denen zwei das Ergebnis einer spezifischen Partnerschaft sind.

Diese Ausstellung ist schon seit einigen Monaten geplant gewesen. Jetzt, waehrend die Situation im Nahen Osten sich wieder einmal zugespitzt hat, moechte diese Ausstellung die neue israelischen Kunstszene und ihre Faehigkeiten, die Fakten aus einer anderen Perspektive zu erzaehlen, vorstellen. Gleichzeitig moechte ich hiermit eine ehrliche Friedensbotschaft dem Mittleren Osten senden.

Ich glaube, dass man in einer Gesellschaft, die so alt wie die Europaeische ist, Ariane Littman & Reuven Zahavi, Benjamin Reich, Jan Tichy, Nir Evron und Rona Jefman als Kuenstler der 'Gegenkultur' bezeichnen wuerde. Es sind Kuenstler, die ihre Kunst nicht ausschliesslich als aesthetische Erfahrung verstehen, sondern als ein Vehikel fuer soziale Kommunikation: die persoenliche Wahrnehmung von soziopolitischen Phaenomene uebertraegt sich auf eine groe§ere Dimension, eine globalere. Im Folgenden Auszuege aus Beschreibungen der Kuenstler ueber ihre Arbeiten:

Ariane Littman & Reuven Zahavi, 'Kissufim Labyrinth', 2008, 3D video Animation, 6:06 min. 'Es ist Teil eines laufenden Projekts, das im Jahr 2006 begann und die Bekaempfung der Verwischung der Sinne und damit die Verzerrung der Wirklichkeit zum Thema hat. Eine Situation, die in Ermangelung einer Perspektive das Individuum auf lange Sicht anfaellig und kraftlos werden laesst, gefangen zwischen Sicherheitsdenken, berufliche Schwierigkeiten, Friedens - und Kriegserklaerungen, verloren in einem physischen und metaphysischen existenziellem Labyrinth, ohne Anfang und Ende. ' (Littman)
Littman & Zahavi leben und arbeiten in Jerusalem, ein Szenario, welches ihre Arbeit stark beeinflusst hat. 'Die Tatsache, dass ich in Jerusalem lebe und arbeite hat sicherlich die primaeren visuellen, politischen und kulturellen Inhalte gepraegt auf die sich meine Arbeit stuetzt. Als eine Stadt, die danach strebt sich zu erweitern und die gleichzeitig Grenzen markiert, bietet Jerusalem eine grosse Herausforderung fuer die Kunst ... Jerusalem ist eine urbane Realitaet der nationalen und religioesen Konflikte ... '

Benjamin Reich, 'Friday Bath', 2008, video slide show, 4-52 min. Die Videos von Benjamin Reich beschaeftigen sich mit dem Thema der innigen Freundschaft, die manchmal homosexuelle Zuege beinhaltet, unter Jugendlichen der ultra-orthodoxen israelischen Gemeinschaften. Seine juengste Videoarbeit 'Friday Bath' wurde in Lifta waehrend des Baderituals gedreht, eine Zeremonie, die in der orthodoxen Kultur als heilig gilt. Es gibt viele natuerliche Quellen um Jerusalem, die fuer religioese Zwecke benutzt werden. Diese Orte strahlen etwas magisches aus, eine fast heidnische Atmosphaere. In der orthodoxen Kultur muss jede Aktion des Menschen, jede Handlung Gott gewidmet sein. Das Gefuehl von Intimitaet und Freundschaft in der Arbeit von Ben Reich ist ein solches Geschenk.

'Immersion ist ein Gebot, das Eintauchen des gesamten Koerpers unter Wasser verlangt. Der eingetauchte Koerper muss nackt sein; jede Trennung zwischen ihm und dem Wasser ist verboten. Waehrend des Eintauchens, waehrend die Versorgung mit Sauerstoff unterbrochen ist, befinden wir uns an die Schwelle zwischen Leben und Tod: in diesem Moment besteht instinktiv die Moeglichkeit unseren Schoepfer zu erkennen und mit ihm zu kommunizieren' (B. Reich)

Jan Tichy, 'Installation N¡6 - Tubes', 2008, Video Installation, TV-monitor, Papierobjekte, Klang, 10 min In seinem Werk erklaert Jan Tichy die Beziehung zwischen Licht und Schatten, und wie diese beiden Elemente Raum und Formen gestalten und manchmal neu definieren. Die Werke von Jan Tichy beinhalten meistens einfache Objekte, aus Papier hergestellt, die in der Dunkelheit praesentiert und mit Video Projektionen beleuchtet werden. In 'Installation no. 6 - Tubes' sind ca. zweihundert Papiergegenstaende in unterschiedlichen Groessen auf einem Roehrenfernseher positioniert. Schwarz-Wei§-Lichtspiele schaffen Bewegung in der Skulptur. Als Klang fungiert die Aufnahme des elektrischen Schaltkreises, welches von dem Fernseher selbst stammt waehrend es das Video zeigt.. Die Raeume von Jan Tichy existieren in einer fluechtigen Dimension, ein Ort, der instabil und staendig bedroht zu sein scheint.

Nir Evron, 'In Virgin Land', 2008, Video, 15:52 min Fuer diese Arbeit hat sich der Kuenstler mit einer Liste von Namen auf die Suche gemacht: einige dieser Namen sind bekannt (wie z.B. Gustave Flaubert oder Hermann Melville), andere weniger. Sie haben gemeinsam, dass sie sich auf eine Reisein in dem Nahen Osten begeben haben, und dass sie ueber ihre Reise ein Tagebuch geschrieben haben. Eine Stimme im Hintergrund liest einen Text vor: '... aus Fragmenten, die von 10 verschiedenen Berichten stammen, die Reisenden und Besucher durch die Jahrhunderte hinterlassen wurden. Sie waren Pilger, Schriftsteller, Wissenschaftler, Militaers. Die Texte sind in einer Art und Weise bearbeitet; sie evozieren eine Reise durch Raum und Zeit ... eine seltsames Gefuehl, ausserhalb der Zeit zu sein... '(Evron)
Die Orte in Nir Evrons Filme sind 'jungfraeuliche' Orte, von Menschenhand unberuehrt. Die Erde ist der gro§e Protagonist dieses Videos. Der Kuenstler moechte die verschiedenen Geschichten erzaehlen, die diese Ecke der Welt mit sich bringt: '... ein Land, welches das Herz des Konfliktes ist. Es ist menschenleer, nur um die Vielfalt der Ansaetze und ihrer Bedenken zu erlaeutern.'

Was wuerde passieren, wenn eines Tages die letzte weibliche Heldin, eine, die keine Angst hat, die staerkste Frau der Welt, nach Israel kommen und vor der Mauer im Westjordanland stehen wuerde, die ihren Weg behindert? Wahrscheinlich, die Bedeutung ihrer Handlungen und deren Folgen ignorierend, wuerde sie alles versuchen um die Mauer zu entfernen. Das ist was in dem Film 'Pippi Longstoking' von Rona Yefman passiert, eine Kreuzung zwischen einem Video und einer Performance, die in Zusammenarbeit mit der daenischen Kuenstlerin und Performerin Tanja Schlander realisiert wurde... 'Mit Hilfe der Fantasie, die der Fiktion eigen ist, und dessen Vergleich zur Realitaet, moechte ich fuer die Idee werben, dass Wandel immer in einem staendigen Dialog mit historischen Praezedenzfaellen und physischen Grenzen einhergeht, aber im Wesentlichen immer der Wille des Einzelnen zaehlt, um positive Aenderungen in einem politischen Konflikt zu verursachen. '(R. Yefman)

Il giorno venerdì, 16 gennaio 2009 la galerie davide gallo ha il piacere di presentare la mostra 'The age of a different re-action', un progetto che include 5 artisti e 7 opere, di cui due, frutto di specifiche collaborazioni. Questa mostra stata pianificata alcuni mesi or sono, adesso, mentre la situazione in Medio Oriente è così difficile, questa mostra desidera presentare la nuova scena israeliana e la sua capacità di raccontare i fatti da una diversa prospettiva. Questa mostra mi da la possibilità di mandare un sincero messaggio di pace al Medio Oriente.

Io credo che Ariane Littman & Reuven Zahavi, Benjamin Reich, Jan Tichy, Nir Evron, Rona Jefman, sono artisti che, in una società antica come quella europea non si esiterebbe a definire di 'controcultura' ma che in un mondo relativamente recente come quello israeliano, non hanno ancora una coscienza così forte da poter essere definiti di 'controcultura' in modo totale. Comunque questi artisti hanno fatto della loro arte non solo un'occasione di pura esperienza estetica, ma anche un veicolo di comunicazione sociale. Infine riescono a trasformare la condizione personale e la relativa percezione dei fenomeni sociopolitici, in una dimensione più ampia, per usare un termine alla moda, più 'globale'.

Di sotto sono riportati in corsivo estratti della descrizione che gli artisti hanno fatto del loro lavoro.

Ariane Littman & Reuven Zahavi, 'Kissufim Labyrinth', 2008, 3D video animazione, 6-06 min.
'It is part of an ongoing project started in 2006 tackling the blurring of the senses and consequently the distortion of reality. A condition which in the long term leaves the individual vulnerable and powerless without a feeling of perspective, prisoner between security concerns and occupation, peace and war declarations but more acutely, lost in a physical and metaphysical existential labyrinth with no beginning and no end.' (Littman)
Littman & Zahavi, vivono e lavorano a Gerusalemme, uno scenario questo che ha fortemente condizionato il loro lavoro. 'The fact that I have been living and working in Jerusalem has certainly affected the primary visual, political and cultural content my work leans on... As a city that aspires to expand, mark or create boundaries, Jerusalem offers a charged challenge to art making... This is an urban reality of nacional and religious conflicts...'(Zahavi)

Benjamin Reich, 'Friday Bath', 2008, video slide show, 4-52 min. I video di Benjamin Reich affrontano il tema del profondo sentimento di amicizia, talvolta omosessualità, tra gli adolescenti israeliani nei clan ultra ortodossi. Il suo recente lavoro video 'Friday Bath', è stato girato a Lifta, in occasione del Bagno, un momento reputato sacro dalla cultura ortodossa. Ci sono molte sorgenti naturali intorno Gerusalemme, utilizzate per scopi religiosi. Qusti luoghi nascondono qualcosa di magico, un'atmosfera quasi pagana. Nella cultura ortodossa ogni azione, ogni singolo gesto dell'uomo deve essere dedicato a Dio. Nel lavoro di Ben Reich questo senso di intimia e profonda amicizia è un ulteriore dono a Dio. 'Immersion... is a commandment which requires immersing the entire body under water. The immersed body has to be nude and any separation between it and the water is prohibited. During the immersion, while the supply of oxygen is interrupted, we are at the gate between life and death and at that moment we, instinctively, recognize our creator and communicate with Him.' (B.Reich)

Jan Tichy, 'Installation N¡6 - Tubes', 2008, Video Installation, tv-monitor, paper objects, sound, 10 min Nel suo lavoro Jan Tichy ci spiega la relazione tra luce e ombra e come questi due elementi ricreano, ridefiniscono e qualche volta svelano spazi e forme nuove. Le opere di Jan Tichy di solito contengono oggetti semplicemente realizzati in carta Bianca e presentati nell'oscurità e illuminati da video proiezioni In 'Installation no. 6 - Tubes' circa duecento oggetti in carta di varie dimensioni e dalla forma di tubi sono disposti in piedi sullo schermo di un televisore. Un'animazione in bianco e nero illumina I tubi e crea movimenti all'interno della scultura. Il suono è la registrazione di una scatola elettrica, prodotta dal monitor stesso mentre fa funzionare il video. Gli spazi di Jan Tichy vivono in una dimensione sospesa, l'eterna agonia di un luogo instabile e continuamente minacciato.

Nir Evron, 'In Virgin Land', 2008, video, 15-52 min Per questo lavoro l'artista ha fatto una ricerca, individuando una lista di nomi, alcuni più noti, come Gustave Flaubert o Hermann Melville altri meno, ma tutti accomunati dal fatto di aver compiuto un viaggio in Medio Oriente e di averne tratto un taccuino di viaggio. Una voce di sottofondo legge un testo '...comprised of fragments taken from 10 different accounts, written by travellers, and visitors to the land through the ages. They are pilgrims, writers, scientists, military men. The texts are edited in a way that they suggest one's journey through space and time...producing a strange feeling of being out of time.' (Evron)
I luoghi filmati da Nir Evron sono luoghi 'vergini', ancora incontaminati dall'uomo. La terra, è la grande protagonista di questo video. L'artista desidera raccontare le differenti storie che questo angolo di mondo porta con sè: '... a land that is the heart of the conflict. This land appears empty of any human presence only to expose the multitude of approaches and its concerns.'

Cosa succederebbe se un giorno l'ultima eroina femminile, colei che non teme nulla, la donna più forte del mondo, approdasse in Israele e si trovasse il muro dei West Bank ad ostacolare il suo cammino? Probabilmente, incurante dei significati della sua azione e delle conseguenze, proverebbe a rimuoverlo. Ed è ciò che accade nel film 'Pippi Longstoking', di Rona Yefman, un lavoro a meta'; tra il video e la performance, realizzato in collaborazione con l'artista e performer danese Tanja Schlander... Nel suo lavoro Rona Yefman documenta l'esoterico e l'inosservato, l'artista è fortemente interessata dalla distanza tra ciò che siamo e ciò che vorremmo essere. 'Using the fantasy of fiction to confront the reality, I want to promote the idea that change is always in a constant dialogue with historical precedents and pyisical boundaries, but that in essence it is always the will of the in the individual that contributes to a positive reformation of any political conflict.' (R.Yefman)

// more info about the artists

R.Yefman & T. Schlander
Pippi Longstoking
Still from the video
2008

Jan Tichy
Installation N¡6 - Tubes
Installation 6 monitor, audio and video, paper objects
2008

Nir Evron
Virgin Land
Still from video
2008

A.Littman & R.Zahavi
Kissufim Labyrinth
Still from 3D Video Animation
2008

Ben Reich
Dia from Friday Bath
Video
2008