Disrupted Home: The 5th Mediterranean Biennale Exhibition

2024-02-05 16:27:27

“Is there anyone at home?”, curated and initiated by Avital Bar-Shei and Belo Simion Fainero, is a question that examines the assumption that “home” is a stable place of belonging, shelter, refuge and security, of identity, a place that protects its occupants. The war that broke out on October 7 broke the bounding boundaries of this safe everyday space, and now they are more blurred than ever. The emotional peace and security familiar to us in the spaces of the house, were violated in one moment by elements of chaos and insecurity, creating an experience of disrupting normalcy. The “home” has become a more traumatic place than a comforting place. The new 5th Mediterranean Biennale exhibition tells the story of the emotional and physical destruction of our “home”.

The artists Almagreen and Dragest, Carlos Amorales, Guy Ben Ner, Moshe Gershoni participate in the exhibition, Uri Gersht, Jenny Holzer, Merav Himan, Pavel Walberg, Maria Zikinia, Yigal Tomarkin, Ziva Yelin, Ciprian Morrison, Alex Mirozio, Shahar Marcus and Nezakat Akchi, Blue-Simeon Finero, Adel Abdesmed, Yanis Conlis, Minard Shahada, Angelica Sher, Hanan Abu Hussein, Laila Ahmadzai , Avital Bar-Shi, Burke Deliare, Almgul Menalbiwa, Or Feinro, Hisar Kiroglu, Boaz Keizman.

The works invite the viewer to think about the experiences of emotional detachment, about the helplessness and distress, and to remind the importance of help, empathy and understanding in the chaos of life. Works of art are an expression of the human spirit and the power of art to inspire hope even in difficult moments, in the shadow of war; To strengthen and heal, to be a support and balm for the spirit and soul, to provide humanity, hope, solidarity and social resilience in open and safe spaces for gathering, for sharing in grief, for sincere conversation and for striving for a better and peaceful future.

Display locations:

Witzo Haifa Academic Center (the main exhibition), 21 Haganim St., the German Colony, Haifa

Cafe Aroma, 8 Ben Gurion Ave., the German Colony, Haifa

City Center Mall, 6 Ben Gurion Ave., the German Colony, Haifa

Cafe Cafe, 31 Ben Gurion Ave., the German Colony, Haifa

Tourism Center, 48 Ben Gurion Ave., Haifa

North Rooster, Cafe Gallery, 17 Hanaviim St., Haifa

Guest House and Gallery, 7 Nabiyim Stairs, Haifa

Babel Haifa, art and books, 10 Hativ St., Haifa

Blue-Simeon Finero

The video work “Dreams and Wishes” is a participatory video work conducted as part of an activity with refugees from the southern settlements who were evacuated on October 7. The workshop was held with Kibbutz Karmia evacuees and other evacuees and dealt with the personal situation following the trauma. The promises, wishes and hopes expressed in the video work “Dreams and Wishes” evoke a unique tension in us. They inspire a desire for change, resistance to future uncertainty and courage to overcome unexpected obstacles. The dreams that accompany us in our sleep or in our visions are personal and deep. Promises sometimes fail and wishes often reflect fickle personal desires, but hope asks us for something different. We are called to summon the future.

Carlos Amorales, meanwhile

In the struggle there is no winner and no loser. Amorales claims that he is simultaneously intrigued by the feeling of the physical struggle, the difficulty connected to fear, the need to protect yourself and at the same time attack the opponent.

Ziva Yelin

Kibbutz Bari view: The red background has a sign of danger, threat, war and blood, but when combined with the pastoral landscape of the kibbutz, it takes on a deep meaning, especially after October 7th, when the paintings show bullet marks from terrorists tearing the canvas as evidence of the events.

Angelica sings, Deborah sings

In the photo series ‘Song of a Bee’ Cher is influenced by the work ‘The Last Supper’ by the artist Leonardo da Vinci. Unlike works from the history of art in which the main characters are men, Sher chooses the main characters as women, soldiers. Cher refers to the image of the troops in an associative context of strength, bravery and sacrifice for the collective on the one hand and as a victim on the other. All the scenes focus on the figure of the woman and refer to her status and power while disrupting the familiar and accepted.

The Mediterranean Biennale takes place once every two years in public spaces in the urban area and seeks to connect the general public to contemporary art in alternative spaces and to promote exposure to art by creating a stage for an exhibition of contemporary international art in the city that will encourage cultural exchanges to establish a space for discussion of burning social issues. The main exhibition is presented at the Wizo Haifa Academic Center.