Identity Matters / group exhibition

Opening:  Thursday, 10/3/22 at 19:00-22:00

Guided tour with the curators: Friday, 29/4/22 at 11:30

Closing:  Saturday, 7/5/22 at 14:00

Curators: Yael Novak and Ester Beck – a conversation with the curators in Hebrew

Participants: Efrat Eyal, Michal Alon, Ronit Baranga, Varda Yatom, Fugy Naim Malul, Rina Kimchi, Leah Sheves, Dori Shechtel Zanger, Irit Abba, Eva Avidar, Avital Eshed Avital, Simcha Even Chen, Meira Una, Zehava Edelsburg, Cochavit Ben Ezra Goldenberg, Felicity Yaacobi Bernstein, Laurie Goldstein, Avner Singer, Anna Carmi, Amnon Amos, Yael Atzmony, Ethel Pisraff, Udi Charka, Hadas Rosenberg Nir

Identity Matters highlights the work of a group of established ceramic artists. It offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their studios, thought processes, habits, inspirations and influences. Furthermore, it invites the viewer to discover the inner creative world of the artists and gain an intimate acquaintance with their particular, distinctive artistic language and identity.

Why identity? Identity is the definition of ourselves within the field in which we have chosen to create with a sense of recognition and belonging. The exhibition traces 24 of the most prominent members of the clay community in an attempt to define their creative identity, which is fluid and is determined by an ongoing dialogue with others who share the chosen field with them.

Why Clay? For a variety of reasons, from a conscious decision or an accidental encounter with the material; born and bred into it or from an emotional process of attraction, infatuation and surrender to the soft, yielding and seductive properties of clay.

The Objective: Structuring an identity of a familiar ‘Professional Community’ who chose the ceramic medium as a vehicle for artistic expression while providing a platform for work which illustrates a recognizable personal handprint in the local clay scene. The exhibition showcases a group of clay artists who have achieved their artistic identity in a strong personal style and a familiar own individual language; artists who have a long professional history and a body of work based on research and development together with  constant experimentation, consistency, expertise, maturity and an in-depth understanding of the medium.

Characteristics: A versatile material language and an eclectic cultural identity. Although all of the artists in the group are local, very few are concerned with relevant local issues; most of them are inclined to connect with contemporary global movements, reflect current international trends and implement multicultural approaches.

Variety and versatility is to be found among the artists; those who are native to Israel and those who came here from other countries and carry with them the cultural heritage and traditions of their countries of origin. Among the artists are those who several years ago embarked on a journey to discover the wonders of clay alongside those who successfully and impressively managed in a very short span of time to establish a recognizable and identifiable personal visual language; artists who grew out of the academies beside artists who are self-taught and those for whom working with clay is an addictive way of life. All of the artists together in their distinct expressive language comprise a mosaic of fascinating and intriguing worlds of narrative and content.

Multiplicity and variation characterizes the different tendencies revealed in the works: from a maximalist approach to a minimalist inclination and everything in between; restraint versus expressiveness, concrete statements as opposed to abstract ones, control alongside playfulness and imaginative, daring whimsy. Some of the pieces tend to be politically and socially critical, others are labor intense in highly skilled craftsmanship, some resonate materiality and others reference architecture and archaeology; a few of the pieces discuss the relationship between 2D and 3D and in others the boundaries of the medium are examined and breached. The exhibition illustrates a rich and varied selection of visual material which represents some of the many approaches to the use of clay.

Wanting to convey: As curators who come from within the clay practice and with a longstanding intimate acquaintance with the field, its history and colleagues, we want to tell the story of the material which speaks in a multilingual and eclectic language, the distinct language of the artist. The range and diversity of the works on view have come into existence as a result of the exploration of idea and material by artists who are operating locally within the same time frame and expressing a wide spectrum of approaches, statements, references, work processes, techniques and skills.  Our story was woven through studio visits, fascinating discussions and a direct, close and unmediated relationship with the artists. The exhibition presents a multifaceted and remarkable body of work thanks to the material, the ingenuity of the artists, the wisdom of the hands, the perseverance, the determination, the obsession… and the love.

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