Archipelago – Group Exhibition
Dates: 15.9.2022-15.01.2022
Artists: Ron Asulin, Sagie Azoulay, Roni Packer, Moshe Roas, Orly Sever
Curator: Abraham Kritzman | Advising Curators: Hila Cohen Schneiderman, Tal Yahas
About the Exhibition
For many artists, the studio is an island. A space cut off from the turmoil of the world, where one can embark on mental and material journeys, discover new forms, and linger in the raw and experimental moment before returning to terra-firma with a grounded course of action. The island/studio is a place of play and exploration, free from outside watchful eyes. But as such, it can also be a lonely place. Alongside the joyful moments of discovery, there are also challenging moments of uncertainty and frustration, and there is always the risk of going adrift.
The exhibition Archipelago came about through a series of encounters between five artists, held in the framework of the Israel Lottery Art Incubators project. It started from a common feeling that many artists have a desire, perhaps even a need, to explore and practice possible models of collaboration. The exhibition’s title was inspired by the term “archipelago” – a group of islands geographically, geologically, or politically connected to one another. Distinct units of land that emerge from the sea-foam separately, but underneath the surface of the raging water are linked to one another by deep, hidden ties. In a similar vein, the project offered an extended and collaborative work process for artists whose practice is predominantly studio-based. This platform attempted to set in motion an exchange that will help the artists hone their individual processes, and at the same time formulate a group exhibition based on a subterranean common ground.
The participating artists all share a deep interest in matter and materiality. Whether they work in 2D or 3D, it seems that the undercurrent that flows through their practices is the material research and the ability to see and imagine beyond its familiar properties or cultural history. The desire to push the boundaries of the material and expand its usage is the spark that sets off the image or idea at the core of their work.
Photography: Elad Sarig
