Either-Or, Neither-Nor (A Hybrid Response)

Responding to the parameters of the Gallery, both ideologically and spatially, this exhibition sought to map the artistic production of Jewish artists and questioned whether these artists have a distinct Jewish contribution to make to the wider world of contemporary artistic practice. The work explored concepts that are central to the Jewish experience, such as the idiosyncrasy between the private and public self, the burden of memory and the implications of adhering to a system of absolutes. 

Nelly Agassi’s video works, Peel-In, Face-In and Burnt, represented two antithetical yet complementary positions that characterises her varied artistic production. Whilst Face-In emphasises the introspective element of her work, an attempt to arrive at self-exposure and the engagement with one’s ability to mediate the interior onto the exterior, Peel-In manifests the extrovert element while delving into questions of representation and visibility. 

The literal translation of Eitan Buchalter’s video projection, [title in Arabic], means “Praise God for your Safety”, a familiar greeting in most Arab countries. In this work, originally performed at Exeter College Chapel, Oxford, Buchalter skilfully reworks the Arabic speech rhythm into the formalised musical notes of a church organ and choir singer, exploring issues of translation through context and within a bracket of multi-faith union. 

In her work Toilet Paper Dress and Shoes, Susie Darvish evokes a mood of fragility and impermanency, characterised by the soft and perishable materials used. This work is part of a larger body of work that questions the body/self as always already not her own. 

Shulchan Aruch, a site-related installation by Anna Finchas, represents the universal ethical code of self-creation that dominates Jewish daily life and tradition as dictated by the Talmud. Consisting of countless precepts that guide and advise both men and women, this work aims to realise their direct influence on both the individual and the community.

The dominant iconography in David Huglin’s work on paper is culled from a variety of sources, including Rastafarianism, Buddhism and Judaism. From which he constructs his own hybrid multi-faith world based on the nostalgic and hippified ideals of the 1970s movement of peace and love. 

Heather Libson’s lyrical and multi-layered paintings Gretel’s Dream and Lost, inspired by wooded landscapes and dense vegetation, act as archaeological digs into the memory of place. Her work simultaneously strips away and re-covers these abstract woodscapes, mapping new pathways into the passing of time as well as creating a new yet fragmented history.

The Jewish Artist of the Year Award 2001 was judged by Catherine Yass (Artist & 2002 Turner Prize Nominee), Ruth Ur (British Council, Visual Arts), Anthony Spira (The Whitechapel Gallery), John Russell-Taylor (Writer & Art Critic), Anthony Brown (Connaught Brown Gallery), Naomi Alexander & Frank Meisler.

There was a Gallery Talk with Rachel Garfield (Artist/Writer) on Sunday, January 26, 2003, 2pm (Free)

For more information, visuals and interviews please contact Alona Pardo, Curator: Tel: 020 7604 3991