Trauma 2021

During the escalation of the ongoing Palestinian–Israeli conflict last May 2021, two of my artworks (Nesting-2, 2016 and Uprooted, 2016) that hung in the reception area of the Efendi Hotel in Acre were damaged by a small group of extremists. Deeply sad, they also caused enormous destruction to this beautifully reconstructed Ottoman gem.

The riots and the violence were mainly the results of a non-functional government and a Prime Minister that incited hatred and racism between Israeli Arab and Jewish communities. The diverse cities that house both communities work hard towards coexistence, but incidents like these show us how vulnerable and fragile these relationships are. The struggle for a more fair, inclusive, egalitarian, and compassionate society is still a long one and won’t come without pain and anger.

The Efendi hotel’s art curator Ronit Reik returned the artworks to my studio for restoration towards the hotel’s reopening in September. Surprisingly, the fragile paper art remained intact, although the Perspex frames were melted by the fire and covered with a fine layer of charcoal dust.

Before the artworks are repaired and returned to the lobby, they will be part of the upcoming group exhibition “Liquid Love,” curated by Daria Kaufman at the new culture center Teo in Herzliya Pituach. Kaufman explores the concept of fragile relationships and uses the ideas of “Liquid Love,” a book by Polish philosopher Zygmunt Bauman. The Israeli publisher of the Hebrew translation (Magnes Press) describes the book’s themes: “The uncanny frailty of human bonds, the feeling of insecurity that frailty inspires, and the conflicting desires to tighten the bonds yet keep them loose.” Ideas well worth artistically exploring in the aftermath of the events in May.

This exhibition will include the artworks (I renamed) Trauma 1 and 2 from the Efendi Hotel, two of my Protective Blankets, and a photograph. Exhibition dates: 15 September till November. I will hold an artist talk on the 25^th of October at 19:30 at the Teo Culture Centre, Herzilya Pituach. You are invited to join me!

Thanks to the Effendi Hotel, Acre, and especially Ronit Reik (art-curator) for lending these artworks for this exhibition. 

Photos by: Sigal Kolton, detail photos by Litay Marcus text editor: Hadas Eyal