The Catcher in the Sand

I love visiting art museums and I love to do it in places which are not necessarily on the beaten track of the art circuit. Of course, the big museums of the world have their fascination, complexity and completeness, but as there are big cathedrals and small churches there are also the bigger and the smaller museums, and the feeling of spirituality for the art lover as for the religious person can be reached whatever the dimensions of the building and of the institution.

Bonnefantenmuseum - the exterior

Actually the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht is not a small institution. In a country and in a geographical area with big art museums and brilliant schools of painting from the Reanaissance until the contemporary times, the museum in Maastricht was founded in 1884 and hosted by the bons enfants (‘good children’) monastery which gives it the name. Today’s building was designed by the Italian architect Aldo Rossi, and it’s original exterior shape reminding somehow an astronomical observatory became one of the landmarks of the landscape of the city on the Maas. Three levels host a collection of fine arts that combines various styles and time periods, from the medieval religious art to contemporary art.

Bonnefantenmuseum - the interior

One of the things that makes Bonnefantenmuseum different is the refuse to present its permanent collection in a chronological order as well as the absence of the categorization of art in epochs and styles that usually guide and lead the visiting experience in the majority of the other museums. The collections of modern art and old masters, medieval and contemporary objects are mixed and as a visitor you exit from one hall and you enter another representing a totally different epoch and style, permanently jumping in time ahead and back. Each new hall represents a surprise, a different epoch, a new experience that allows you to relate to the objects without necessary following the usual didactic path. It’s an Augenspiel (play of the eyes) – concept inspired by a quote from Elias Canetti’s memoirs.

Here are a few pieces I loved most, and I will follow the same technique as in the exhibition, not presenting them in any particular order.

Census at Bethlehem

Census at Bethlehem belongs to the atelier of Pieter Brueghel the Younger, and dates from the beginning of the 17th century. It is believed to belong to the a large extent to the master himself, and inspired by a well known work of the painter’s father. Bethlehem is represented in the tradition of the Flemish masters, as a typical Flemish village in winter.

Rene Daniels - Painting on the Flag

Rene Daniels is a Dutch contemporary painter born in 1950, and he has one full hall of works in the museum. Painting on a Flag was painted during his stay in New York. It is a dialog with the flags paintings of American artists like Jasper Johns (the Dutch and the American flags have the same colors), but also an interesting work by itself with several layers of painting the older one still visible and a game of perspective that catches the eyes.

Two Pharisees

Woodcarving of religious statues is an art well developed in the area, and the Two Pharisees from an Antwerp atelier in the 16th century are a good example.

Saint Catherine of Siena

The 15th century representation of Saint Catherine of Siena belongs to Sano di Pietro, one of the outstanding pieces in the room dedicated to the works of the early Renaissance.

Anselm Kiefer - Le Dormeur du Val

Jumping into contemporaneity we can see one outstanding work of the German artist Anselm Kiefer. Kiefer is one of the most interesting artists in Germany today, dealing with the painful issues of the recent history of Germany including the war and the Holocaust, in a very expressive and daring style.

Head of Saint John the Baptist

English religious art in alabaster has a room of itself with several outstanding pieces among which the allegoric Head of Saint John the Baptist. The unusual style of these pieces are very much worth the attention, I knew very little about the style and the period (15th century) when Nottingham was exporting such works in all the Western Europe.

Altarpiece

Altarpieces combining painting ans sculpture are a genre that florished in the Flemish area around the year 1500. It cannot missed from any serious collection of all Flemish art – here is one piece created in Antwerp arounf 1518.

Sandra Vasquez de la Horra - drawing

Bonnefantenmuseum also hosted two temporary exhibitions. The first included drawings of the Chilean artist Sandra Vasquez de la Horra – combining a fantastic and macabre vision of the world with strongly opinionated political messages.

Sandra Vasquez de la Horra - La Zorpa Manca

Many of her drawings are grouped, and make sense as a whole as well as individual works. They call to close examination and reflection – unfortunately I had too little time and I need to get back some time in the future to look more carefully to the work of the artist.

Pierre Kemp - Fourrures

The second exhibition belongs to the Pierre Kemp, a local of Maastricht, who is also known as one of the finest Dutch poets of the 20th century. The exhibition here comes maybe as a surprise for part of the Dutch audiences, but for the less advised non-Dutch viewer Kemp is certainly an accomplished and mature artist.

Pierre Kemp - Concerns

His Fourrures dated 1929 are sophisticated with erotic hints. Concerns from 1941 resonate with the anxiety of the continent plunged in the horror of war. Both are works of a mature artists, synchronized with the issues and atmosphere of his times, with the artistic trends and techniques of the first half of the past century.

inside the Museum of Art in Ein Harod

The closing of the Brown collection exhibition at the Museum of Art in Ein Harod left me as many art lovers in Israel with a taste of more. Two new exhibitions opened a couple of weeks ago in the same space, and we were the lucky visitors in a quiet Sunday morning. Visiting the museum during the week (Sundays are workdays in Israel) has the advantage of silence and avoids the weekend crowds, with the disadvantage of missing the guided tours. The current exhibitions have no audioguides, so as visitors we were on our own.

Albert Rubin - Temple Mount

The room near the entrance hosts early works by Albert Rubin. It is part of a series of exhibition in which the museum helps recovering lesser-known Jewish and Israeli painters which left their mark on the history of Israeli art. Born in Bulgaria in 1887, Rupin’s career was marked by the three years that he spent in Palestine as a student of the Bezalel Art School in Jerusalem (to become later the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design). Discovered by Boris Schatz, the founder of the school and admitted among its first 30 students, Rubin painted in this period of formation mostly portraits, landscapes and paintings of Biblical inspiration.

Shlomo Nerisky - Spanish Jew in Jerusalem

Albert Rubin - Portrait of a Yemenite

Although it is not great art, Rubin’s paintings catch an interesting moment in the beginnings of the renewal of Jewish art in Palestine before Israel was founded. It also allows an interesting glimpse to the landscape and people of the area in the last decade of the Ottoman rule. For example, here are placed one near another a portrait of Rubin and a photograph from the exhibition ‘Orientalists’ at the Tel Hai Photography museum which I visited a few months ago.

Alleyways in the Old City

The Jerusalem landscapes have also a primary atmosphere and a charm of rediscovery. See for example the group of paintings in the alleys of the Old City, a few years before history, armies and tourists came along together and made these places some of the most crowded and most emotional locations on Earth.

More information and the full catalog of the exhibition is available at http://www.museumeinharod.org.il/english/exhibitions/2010/albert_rubin/

Yechiel Krize - Safed, 1940

The second and most import exhibition of the moment includes again works from the Brown collection, this time focusing on the Abstract period of Yechiel Krize (1909 – 1968). Among the few early paintings of the artists I remarked the landscape of Safed, painted at the time when many other Jewish painters of the time (Menachem Shemi especially) dealt with the same subject. The quest for a new language and the road that led the painter to abstract art is already visible.

Gouache, 1955-1958

By the 1950s the artist had already taken the definite turn to abstraction, melting and recomposing the elements of landscape or light or other sources of inspiration into a new form of expression which had little similarities with works of other Israeli painters of the time, but was in dialog and synchronicity with the modern art of the time, especially American abstract artists.

Closeness, 1958-59

Gouache and oil painting on wood were the two preferred techniques of the period.

the 'white period' room in the exhibition

painting from the 'white period' - early 60s

The ‘white period’ in the early 60s is maybe the most coherent and expressive period of his creation. The Browns seem to have also appreciated Krize’s work of that time, as the period is well represented in the exhibition, with a full dedicated room.

Late Gouaches, 1963-1966

Late Abstract, 1964

The last years of his life brought to Yechiel Krize a better recognition in Israel, with two major exhibitions of his works being organized in the 1960s, and a major retrospective in 1970, following his death. His searches seem to have never stopped, leading him to permanent experiments in form and colors, as well as the crystallization of a powerful and recognizable style.

Painting, 1960-62

An extensive article about Krize and the exhibition in Ein Harod can be read at http://www.haaretz.com/magazine/friday-supplement/he-didn-t-paint-flowers-1.300972.

The Web site of the Museum of Art in Ein Harod is accessible at http://www.museumeinharod.org.il/english/. The museum is open all days of the week.

I love to visit art museums. Big ones and small ones. Famous and anonymous. In the big metropolis of the world or in remote places. Visiting an art museum (at least 0ne) is an almost mandatory part of a trip, of my exploration of a new place. When I am in a lesser known museum I look for the local artists, I try to learn as much as I can about the history of the institution, and about the role of art in the life of the place.

The National Museum of Fine Arts

The National Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta is located not far from the gate of the city, in a beautiful baroque palace located on South Street. It is one of the oldest mansions of the city, built in 1571. During the years of the British rule it hosted the Admiralty House and Winston Churchill is said to have been its guest.  It became home of the most important art institution in Malta in 1974.

(video by PhoeniciaHotel)

The Museum of Valletta was founded in 1903, and its fine arts section became the National Museum of Fine Arts and moved in the location on South Street in 1974. It was the dream and deed Vincenzo Bonello who built the collection and led the fine arts section for much of the century. Unfortunately he did not live to see it in the beautiful home today. A short film about the man and the museum he created is available on YouTube.

inside the museum

The collection of the museum is strong in works that are inspired by Caravaggio, although no work of the master who spent two years in Malta (1607 to 1609) can be found here. We can however see works of Guido Reni or Mattia Preti -  the latest with an impressive gathering of Bible inspired art which can be seen at http://www.maltaart.com/pretismall/html/list_of_works.html

Maltese Prie-Dieu

Before getting to the paintings that seemed to be more interesting although out of the beaten path here is a beautiful piece of religious furniture from the 17th century, called a ‘prie-Dieu’ – you can imagine the knight or the noble man or lady kneeling in prayer and keeping his Bible (and maybe other artifacts) in its drawers.

the crystal sword

Two beautiful pieces of arms that could never be used in war are exposed at the first floor of the museum, near the superb spiral staircase. These are a sword and a dagger made of crystal, with exquisite ornaments that were a present by king Philip the 5th of Spain to the Knights of St. John, in sign of the special relation of friendship and protection between the kingdom of Spain and the island of the knights.

Le Valentin - Judith and Holofornes

One of the most caravaggian works in the museum belongs to Valentin de Boulogne (Le Valentin) is ‘Judith and Holofornes’ which matches the painting of Caravaggio which I had seen in Rome a few days earlier at the retrospective at Quirinale.

Jusepe de Ribera - St. Francis of Paola

Jusepe de Ribera also known as Lo Spagnoletto is also considered a disciple of Caravaggio. I like his style sometimes called ‘Tenebrist’ and works who seem to me to be a balancing act between the darkness of the Inquisition-haunted Spain he came from and the ideals of Renaissance of the Italy he lived and created much of his life. The portrait of St. Francis of Paola that can be found in the museum in Valletta is fascinating.

Venetian School - Flowers in a Vase

I am no big fan of floral arrangements paintings, but this painting from a 18th century Venetian school master drew my attention.

Louis Ducros - View of the Great Harbor

Local landscapes take a deserved place in the collection. Above is a painting of the Great Harbour of Valletta as painted by the Swiss Louis Ducros at the beginning of the 20th century.

Eugenio Maccagnani - Leah

Out of the more recent collection of art here is a piece by Italian sculptor Eugenio Maccagnani from the beginning of the 20th century.

The Herzlya Museum of Contemporary Art hosts the principal section of an event that allows to the Israeli art fans a glimpse into a lesser known space – the contemporary art from Africa.

Herzlya Museum

The exhibition named ‘A Collective Diary, an African Contemporary Journey’ gather several artists, many of them living in Europe, creating in a variety of forms, styles and genres, from more carpets and pupets closer to the traditional view we have about African art to photos and video installations.

Willian Adjete Wilson - Black Ocean

The level of the exposed art is quite uneven to my taste. I liked the series of textile works (carpet-like) of William Adjete Wilson – from Benin, living in France – which talks about the African identity, history, culture and pride. They combine fresh colors and vision with a composition that reminded me the ‘Merry Cemetery’ in Sapantza, Romania.

El Anutsui - Area B

Another interesting installment is authored by El Anutsui from Ghana – he is working in metal pieces combined in large size objects that look like tapestries or textile cloth covered volumes. The artist has combined the local look of his country of origin with techniques and a way of thinking that belongs fully to contemporary art.

More information and pictures of the works of the exposed artists can be found at http://www.herzliyamuseum.co.il/hebrew/current-exhibition (in Hebrew). The exhibition is open until April 4.

I have never seen such long lines at the Art Museum in Tel Aviv. When about a decades ago the second intifada broke and led to sky-rocketing insurance prices, which added to political reasons resulted in the Israeli Museums to be pushed at the periphery or simply taken out of the international circuit of art shows, the museum in Tel Aviv wisely decided to focus on Israeli art. The result is that many major shows of Israeli artists were organized in this decade and the success of this last exhibition which was more the result of the public reaction than of art critics feedback or an orchestrated PR campaign demonstrates that the art loving audiences in Israel react to what they perceive as fit to their tastes and can eventually sustain the public part of the museum activity.

Zadok Ben-David explaining his works to guests in the exhibition

Zadok Ben-David was born in Yemen in 1949 and his parents immigrated and brought him to Israel in the same year. He studied Fine Arts at Bezalel in Jerusalem, at the Reading University, and at the Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design in London. He lives in the UK for many years.

Out of the Wood

His style seems to be a continuous dialog between form and material, between human silhouettes and vegetation forms. The material that he uses for the bigger works is iron (cut with laser for the bigger dimensions works), but you need to get closer to realize the weight and mass, as the impression created by contemplation is of a delicate two dimensional philigrams, reminding more the Indonesian shades theater characters and sets than traditional European sculpture.  If sculpture is traditionally conceived as being about filling the space with forms, the style and techniques that Ben-David developed seem to challenge the tri-dimensional view of objects in search of volatility, of lack of weight and volume.  One can say that the real material of Ben-David’s recent works is shadow.

(video by joshasen)

The power piece of the current show is an installation that catches a 150 square meters room (my estimation) – a bed of sand where thousands of miniature plants, trees, flowers that represents a different world created by the artist.There are no two identical pieces of vegetation in this huge garden, and Ben-David is said to have built each piece as a realistic representation of real-life vegetation.

The dimensions and shape of the work create an interesting relation between the viewer and the art objects. We are used to be dwarfed by some sculptures, relate as equal to other, or bend to watch with attention an individual miniature. Here, when you enter the room the field is at your feet and the first sensation is of bird view. Seen from the entry the field is black. Then, when you start walking around colors and perspective change likw you walk in time through the seasons cycle. In order to see the details you need to lie and watch close to the sand field, as you do when in the mid of nature you lie on grass and watch wild life.

Are you Talking to me?

The dialog between man and nature seems to be the principal focus of Zadok Ben-David’s exhibition nowadays. The idea of planting flowers and other plants as art in the sand may also be read as a paraphrase of the myth of making the desert blossom. Non-confirmed rumors heard from people in the line say that the exhibition is the first that will take Ben-David’s works to many other places in the world in the coming years. To all friends who will have the opportunity to see his art in a museum close to their place I recommend not to miss it.

The artist’s web site can be accessed at http://www.zadokbendavid.com/.

The Web site of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art can be accessed at http://www.tamuseum.com/

It was the first time today that I visited the Petakh-Tikvah Museum of Art. Established in 1964 in a beautiful park once at the margin, today in the center of the city, the museum has undergone renovation and reopened five years ago, with a focus on collective exhibitions and art with a political message. It is t the last category that the exhibition ‘Georgeopolis’ by the young photographer and video artist Dor Guez belongs.

the Petakh-Tikvah Museum of Art

Georgeopolis is the byzantine name of the city of Lod, a place that most people know because of the main international airport of Israel located in its proximity. Yet, it is one of the oldest cities in ancient Israel, mentioned in the Bible as one of the places where Jews returning from the Babylonian exile came from.  It also was one of the centers of the Jewish resistance during the Roman-Jewish wars and the Maccabees revolt.The byzantine name of the city comes from Saint George who was killed here in 303 for refusing to renounce his Christian faith. The city maintained a Christian presence since these times, and the troubled identity of its Christian inhabitants of today is the theme of the exhibition.

Jacob Monayer's Wedding - 1948

This is the story of three generations of the Monayers, a Greek-Orthodox family in today’s Lod. The Greek Orthodox are a minority among the Christians in Israel, who are minority among the Arabs, who are a minority in the Jewish State. A minority amongst a minority amongst a minority.

the ruins of Lydda

The entry hall exposes the wedding photos of Jacob Monayer in 1948 – the year of the independence of the state of Israel, the year when the Arabic Lydda was occupied by the Jewish Israeli forces and the majority of its Arab population fled and became refugees. Only about 700 people stayed, and the Monayers were among them.

St. George's Church in Lod

The principal hall of the exhibition is covered on its walls with photos of the very few remains of the Arabic city of Lydda. The ruins are in decay and most of them have been swallowed or covered by the new and expansive city that was built here in the last 60 years. I have lived in Lod for the first two years after coming to Israel as a new immigrant and I never knew about them. Neither did I know that the St. George church in the city (co-habitating with the mosque – this is how the Ottoman rulers accepted to allow the church to be rebuilt in the 19th century on a previous 15th century structure) contains the sarcophagus of St. George. A video projected in the same hall pf the exhibition shows the service in the church. The religious ceremonies are performed in Greek, a language that the Arab Christians of Lod do not speak. A translator stands near the priests and translates during the service.

Jacob Monayer - July 13

Four video installations complete the exhibition. In the first Jacob Monayer describes the events that happened at July 13, 1948 – two days after the Israeli army entered Lod. Most of the Arab inhabitants of the city fled to Ramallah in the heat of the summer, some perished, the rest became refugees. Those who staid where not allowed to keep their houses and lived in a ghetto for the next five years, under military rule. This is where the marriage we had seen the pictures in the first hall happened.

the second generation

If Jacob made his testimony in good Hebrew. His four sons speak perfect Hebrew. They all went to Jewish schools because they were better by the time they grew up in the 60s. Their identity is problematic. While they have received the same education as theur Jewish colleagues they are not fully accepted in a society that has much to do in order to reach real equality. They are a minority wherever they go – among Jews or among Arabs. Yet, the political situation makes them feel more and more on the Palestinian than on the Israeli side. For their children they have chosen to send them to Arabic schools, so that their identites are less in question.

'Dear Jennifer'

The last two videos describe the humiliating experiences related to their Arab identity that undergo two of the young women in the third generation. They look and dress like any Israeli girl, they speak perfect Hebrew as well, and they try to live their lives inside the Israeli society. Yet, when Jennifer’s tutor at the university discovers that the gifted and fair-haired student with a Western name is an Arab she feels not only surprised, but also somehow betrayed. The video shows Jennifer reading the letter received from the tutor.

I found on youTube a fragment of the last vide titled ‘Sa(mira)’. Samira is also a student in Jerusalem, and works as a waitress as many other students do at her age. One day the manager of the restaurant asks her to change the name on the tab to something tha sounds more ‘Jewish’. The reasons – some customers complained not about the service but of the fact that they were served by an Arab.

Dor Guez succeeds to bring the members of the family to open themselves in front of the camera. They never look angry, they never look hateful, although their stories are not easy. They seem more to be asking questions about themselves and about the society they live in. Our society. Their uncertain identity as a small piece in the complex puzzle of the Israeli and Palestinian reality is a subject of reflection for whoever visits the exhibition.

The exhibition is open until February 27. It is announced that in the closure day there will be a meeting with the artist.

Prietenul meu dr. Vlad Solomon a rugat sa fie transmis urmatorul apel:

Caesarea este unul dintre locurile in care ii iau cu mare placere pe prietenii care ne viziteaza din strainatate. In aceasta sambata de ‘iarna’ israeliana, cu soare intre doua reprize de ploi binecuvantate, am revenit impreuna cu prieteni apropriati stabiliti de cativa ani in Statele Unite.

muzeul Ralli

Primul popas l-am facut la muzeul Ralli, pe care nu il mai vizitasem de cativa ani. Istoria muzeului este legata de istoria familiei Recanati, muzeul fiind intemeiat de Harry Recanati, fiul lui Leon Recanati, conducatorul comunitatii evreilor din Salonic, bancher imigrat in Israel in 1935 si intemeietor al bancii Discount. Din cei patru fii ai sai, Harry a luat drumul operelor de binefacere si al colectionarii artei, in timp ce fratele Rafael a ramas la conducerea bancii fiind implicat in scandalul care in anii 1980 a zguduit sistemul bancar israelian, ducand la reformarea acestuia si un nivel de control care i-a permis sa treaca mai bine criza economica si bancara din ultimii doi ani decat alte tari. Mai multe note vizibile la intrarile muzeului subliniaza ca muzeul si patronii sai nu au fost in legatura de decenii cu cei implicati in scandalul bancar. Muzeul din Caesarea a fost infiintat de Harry in anul 1993, alte trei muzee din aceiasi familie sunt operate in Uruguay, Chile si Spania.

poarta spre memorial si aripa de arta biblica a muzeului

Intrarea la muzeu este gratuita, el functionand ca o institutie non-profit. Lipsesc si obisnuitele vizite ghidate, audio-guides, chiar si brosuri se obtin doar la cerere si sunt foarte succinte. O singura pagina de Web exista pe Internet cu informatie destul de succinta – http://www.rallimuseums.org/. Mai mult despre muzeu se poate afla dintr-un articol din Ha’Aretz de acum cativa ani – http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=592003. Ideea este de a atrage vizitatorul prin ambianta si estetica lucrarilor, permitandu-i contemplarea in liniste, cu minima informatie dincolo de arta insasi.

memorialul evreilor sefarzi

Partea forte a muzeului ramane cred colectia originala de arta latino-americana. Foaia explicativa sustine ca muzeele Ralli in totalitatea lor cuprind cea mai insemnata colectie de arta latino-americana a artistilor in viata. Este de regretat aici totusi lipsa informatiei suplimentare, caci aceasta zona artistica este cunoscuta mai ales prin varfurile sale – Siqueiros, Botero, Kahlo – care nu sunt prezente in muzeu – ori ei sunt intr-adevar exponentii celebri dar nu singurii ai unei scoli artistice de o mare vitalitate, bazata pe o imbinare unica de traditie si modernism asimilat si asumat. Exista aici si o colectie a statuilor replicate in serie mica dupa creatiile lui Salvador Dali – interesanta desigur pentru cei care il cunosc pentru prima data pe Dali.

monumentul italian

Muzeul a crescut si s-a extins de cand l-am vizitat ultima data. Impresia mea este amestecata in legatura cu aceste noi elemente ale complexului. A fost adaugata o noua aripa care intr-o arhitectura amintind curtile interioare ale palatelor si manastirilor epocii de aur iberice constituie un memorial al evreimii sefarde – cu statui si busturi ale marilor ganditori evrei ai epocii de aur si secolelor urmatoare de la Maimonides la Spinoza, ca si busturile unor personalitati care se presupune ca ar fi fost evrei convertiti fortat sau urmasi ai lor. Eu personal pentru prima data am auzit de exemplu ca evreii si-l revendica pe Cervantes.

monumentul dedicat intemeierii statului Israel

In continuarea curtii noua aripa a muzeului numita si muzeul Ralli 2 include pictura europeana din secolele 16-18 inspirata din Biblie. Ideea mi se pare excelenta, si sunt cateva lucrari interesante in colectie, dar in mare majoritate nivelul artei expuse aici este destul de mediocru. In mare parte este vorba despre lucrari produse in atelierele artistilor importanti ai epocii, dar lipsesc cateva varfuri calitative si stilul repetitiv si cantitatea obosesc si plicitsesc destul de repede vizitatorul.

Caesarea - trec pasarile

Si mai discutabile sunt cele doua noi adaosuri exterioare. Nu ca idee in sine ci ca conceptie artistica. Un obelisc omagiaza pe italienii drepti intre oameni care au ajutat pe evrei si le-au salvat viata in timpul razboiului. Idee frumoasa, dar legatura cu restul complexului este intamplatoare, exceptand faptul ca obeliscul este localizat in fata memorialului evreimii sefarde, din care face parte si ramura italiana. O colonada in stil grecesc doreste sa fie un memorial dedicat crearii Israelului, cu bustul lui Herzl in mijloc, flancat de Ben Gurion, Weizman (Haim), Balfour si Truman (?). Cu toata dragostea si admiratia fata de cultura clasica a antichitatii nu pot sa nu ma intreb daca o colonada in stil grecesc este cea mai potrivita scopului.

Caesarea - golful

Am continuat vizita cu vizitarea ruinelor cetatii cruciate, a golfului si promotoriului extrem de pitoresti si fotogrenice la orele dupa amiezii si amurgului.

Caesarea - poarta cetatii

Nimic nou pe aici – dar magazinele turistice si restaurantele sunt intotdeauna un loc bun de adus turistii si prietenii.

Caesarea - promontoriul

On one of the Internet discussion lists I am subscribed to discussed a few weeks ago the work of Zaha Hadid. Some of my architect friends were less than enthusiastic about some of her works, criticizing the way she storms over urban landscapes and changes them in an irreversible manner rather than melding into or graciously complementing them.

The Metropolis cultural weekly at ARTE ran last week a segment about the inauguration of the building of the MAXXI Museum of the 21st century art in Rome. I say the building and not the museum, as for the time being it’s only the building that is open for a few weeks for visitors to see:

Fellow architects and critics are again less than enthusiastic. Some of the pieces of news back in November were indicating that the financing of the project got into some kind of trouble:

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3153497

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/architecture_and_design/article6918875.ece

And yet, if we are to believe the ARTE report the first exhibition in the galleries will open in May. Until then one thing is sure – Zaha Hadid’s work leaves few people indifferent.

http://www.maxxi.beniculturali.it/english/index.htm

Another (too) beautiful weekend took us to Haifa. After having survived the ‘Avatar‘ film experience on Friday night we visited the Ottoman Haifa exhibition open by the Haifa City Museum:

http://hma.org.il/Museum/Templates/showpage.asp?DBID=1&LNGID=1&TMID=10000&FID=1203&PID=0

The Web page provides more information about the exhibition as well as more selected images from the exhibition.

city of Haifa Museum

The Museum is hosted by the oldest building in the German Colony of Haifa. Started by Templars in 1868, soon after the 1864 sultan edict that allowed the development of the cities all over the Ottoman Empire, the German colony in Haifa was one of the several settlements established by the German between the 1860s and second world war. The former People’s House was a church and a school at the same time and was recently renovated. The museum is ‘on trial’ for several years, I have visited it for the first time, but judging by the exhibition I have seen it is very much worth a visit.

oldest building in the German Colony in Haifa - 1869

The exhibition contains lithography, paintings, photos and artifacts reflecting the period of the Ottoman rule of Haifa between 1516 and 1918.

While the name of the city is mentioned in the Mishnah and Mount Carmel is considered sacred by the three religios for its association with prophet Elijah (Eliakhu), it was just a small fishermen hamlet until well in the 17th century.

mount Carmel view from the Sea - 1677

Gravures that became popular by the end of the century represented the small village, the monastery at the top of the mountain and the city of Acco much more important  at that time.

Haifa viewed by David Roberts

The city revival starts in the 18th century when rich Arab family start building North of the original hamlet and the harbour develops. yet when the Scottish painter David Roberts arrives and paints the Holy Land in the 19th century his rendition of Haifa from 1839 shows little more than a very pastoral view with a sunset in the best Orientalist tradition.

German Colony in Haifa seen by Jakob Schumacher

Things change with the opening of the foreign presence after 1864, and the German Colony is one of the examples of the development fo Haifa. Here it is how it looked in the 1870s, seen by one of the founders of the colony, Jakob Schumacher.

Haifa photographed by Felix Bonfils c. 1880

The Beirutian photographer Felix Bonfils caught the city around 1880. Other powers beyond Germany invested in the city – for example Russia built part of the harbour. A Persian district was born, populated partly by the believers of the Baha’i faith.The Jewish presence also started during that decade with Jewish immigrants from Europe populating the city, although it will take a long time until Jewish population will become the majority in Haifa – this happened only after the Independence War and the establishment of the State of Israel.

Haifa viewed by Julius Rotschild 1915

By 1915 the city was well developed and shadowed quite for a long while its Northern neighbor Acco. In October 1918 it was conquered by the Indian corps of the British Army, and soon after the British mandated started. The Ottoman period came to its end, and the modern era of the history of the city started.

I also found a collection of photos on youTube with many other interesting aspects from the history of the city, complementing what I saw in the exhibition today.

Back outdoors we had a few more minutes to wonder through the streets of the former German Colony. Many of the houses are renovated, some host restaurants, and the opening of the main street of the area (which is called today Ben Gurion Road) provides nowadays a spendid panorama to the Baha’i gardens on one side and to the sea on the other.

Haifa German Colony building

HaShdera Restaurant in a 1872 building

German Colony area nowadays

Baha'i Gardens viewed from the German Colony main street

The ‘Ottoman Haifa’ exhibition is open at the Haifa City Museum until the end of February.