VIEWPOINT: Looking back at 70 years of Israeli art
At the end of the day, the vast majority of artistic work in Israel represents an integration of different Western styles as well as a focus on various aspects of Israeli identity.
By DR. RONIT STEINBERGUpdated: MAY 4, 2018 14:39A drawing class in Bezalel (photo credit: BEZALEL ACADEMY OF ARTS AND DESIGN)
ISRAELI ART and culture have come a long way since the state’s founding 70 years ago.Today, Israel is internationally known as a vibrant hub of artistic activity. Art museums in Israel have permanent exhibitions of Israeli art; galleries are opening both in the center and the periphery of the country; and Israeli artists participate in exhibitions around the globe.Though art in the Land of Israel actually started well before the state was founded, the year that the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design was founded in Jerusalem, 1906, is generally viewed as the starting point.A central recurring motif in Israeli art is the tension between the local and the universal, or as it is commonly called, “between here and there.” The desire to connect to Western styles of art has seen many Israeli artists leave for the famous art centers of Paris, London and New York. Many bring back innovative styles, viewing the “importation of art” as preferable to focusing on local Israeli identity.The “here artists,” on the other hand, focus their work specifically on the complexities of life in Israel, and draw their inspiration from the particulars of their location – from local archeological findings to Middle Eastern culture to elements connected to Jewish identity.At the end of the day, the vast majority of artistic work in Israel represents an integration of different Western styles as well as a focus on various aspects of Israeli identity – a fact that reflects positively on both local and universal groups.This idea is well illustrated by art in the first decade of the state.During this decade, many artists focused on life in Israel – on the kibbutz, in the ma’abarot (refugee absorption camps), during war, etc. They expressed their emotions in a range of styles, each of which had its parallel in Western art.Take, for example, the sculptures and monuments of Nathan Rapoport, designed in a socialist realist style, or the work of local artists that mirror Pablo Picasso’s mural, Guernica. In parallel to them, the Ofakim Hadashim (New Horizons) art movement, which began in Tel Aviv in 1942, chose abstraction as its preferred artistic language and was perceived as more modern and international in its artistic content. Even so, their work shows that they were rooted to their location, responding to the mood in Israel at the time and using abstraction of color, line and shape to portray the Israeli landscape.More recently, Israeli art has become known for its wide variety of styles, reflecting the multiculturalism adopted by Israeli society. Many social groups that, in the past, were absent from the field, have become very active, which is evident already in the initial stages of artistic training.At the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, for example, there is a noticeable presence of students from different sectors in Israeli society. The institution’s openness to including a more diverse population is reflected in its impressive final exhibits. Self-formed student artistic groups and initiatives continue even after the completion of studies, which further enriches the Israeli art scene. These processes and others have brought about a shift of contemporary artistic activity away from large museums to other areas such as social galleries, the street and various alternative spaces.Even though young Israeli artists make use of contemporary international artistic language, the range of topics with which they contend in their art stems from the characteristics of the culture to which they belong. For example, one can find religious Jewish artists and religious Muslim artists who use video art to express their thoughts and feelings about the head coverings that are commonplace in their societies.As we look back at the evolution of Israeli art and culture over the last 70 years, we can see in it the reflection of the melting pot of people, religions and cultures, which call Israel its home. Our community is a microcosm of so many different backgrounds, focusing on the “here” and “there,” which is what makes the contemporary Israeli art scene so intriguing and diverse.Dr. Ronit Steinberg is a lecturer in the History and Theory Department at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem
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