Between Bearrty anel Destirry

Between Bearrty
anel Destirry:
Three Generations
of lsraeli Art
Septernber 9 throrrgh
Norrernber 1, t99A
l
l
Glerreland Genter for
Gonternporary Art
lUloshe
l(upferrrlaril
-=-+*"rp
As :r Polish Je'"v who sr-rrvived Wor.ld
Wal II, and rvho helped build the
State
of Isr:rel, Mosl-re Kupfennan'.s
art is about histoly rnd nremory.
"l
dor-r't choose cor-rsciously
s,ith dre historical reality,"
Kr-rpfentran, "br-rt
I
to
deal
says
can never be
fi'ee fi.or-n a connection
to the past."
Atter inltrigrating to Ist'ael in 194U,
Kupfenlan joined a eror-rp of 'W'arsnv
ehetto fighters to for-rnd Kibbutz
Lol-r:rnrei Haqetaot (Ghetto Fighters
Kibbutz). I{upfennar-r chose, as his part
in building tl'ris nervJervish society,
i() bcconre ltrr lrtist. He :-ertnitrs ltrt
lctive nrertrber of the Kibbutz and all
tlre
ert:-r'rirrgs fi-orrr
his p:lir)tinqs so to
his conrnrunity.
Kupferman'.s paintinln, lal'ee
sonrbel abstractions of nruted purple
.rrr.1
rilver torres, llludc to arr irrrrcr-
rc:rlnr of solr.ow and nrouming.The
gestures, qu:rsi-eeortretrical
and
r rich
Kupfernran'.s paintinqs tepresent
sl-rapes
palette of r-nuddied tones.
the paradox of the inrpossibility of
reconstructing the horrors of the
process of layerir-ru by rvl-rich he
His paintinqs cl'eate a rvorld of ten-
builds his canvases encodes a rnorll
sions and paradoxes, an inrpossible
Holocaust. As he rvrote in a crt:rlogue
.rct. a disciplined balance
unity ofveltical and horizontal, a
field of ordel and chaos. As All:rn
of :rn exhibition in Poland, in 1995:
of doubt
.rnrl rr'ill. His dense surfaces are the
rc'sult
of l:ryers upon layers of p:rint
u'hich, like
ar-r
alcheolosical site, both
Schrvartzntan states in his catalogue
essay,
in Kupternranls rvork "there
hirle lnd reverl earlier ur:rrks.The
at once conflict and
conrpositiorrs are active fields of grids,
bal:rr-rce."
I
is
yearnins for
Horr mn .rrt c{)lrr-f tlrc nrttrdt'r
ttf rnilliotrs, tcll abortt tlrc ittdtrstry
ttf'dcatlt?
Htut mtr
I
futttrp u,hat nty _lcu,islt
1tt'trplc wcrrt tlrrorelt u,ltt,tt thc),
rucrt' ttutrdcrcd?
Iilc slnll
rrL'ut,r
ltc oblc to trasp tltat
tlis nurld lnuc happotcd.
I pairrt.
top: lli'r[
I
orr
tttiss tltcnr.
Ahnys y,ill.
/)r/lr; lr){)J..otrrrcjr ofrhc rrrist.rDd
(iolilit l'rlrr (i.rllcn: Moorr (lollc!:c ofArt.rlrl l)csiip
rrliddle: 1|i,rilt l// /i/rr\,t ll;,: l()70. phoro:Tirrr Srtirrrck
bortom: (l(:(lA irr\trllrti{nr. l()()S. phorr:Tirl Srfi.rnek
'a
Joshua
Neustein
$'rD
?*
I
&l
ar
i;
l{iver, its p:rth fbrnred by
Joshua Ner.rstein'.s Ripcr rlf,4-s/rcs,
D(u tt c st i ( Tt,tt q i i t y is a site-specifi c
ofbllck
instlllation of epic propor:tions. Since
hanr:s rbove tl-re nrap
t
I
tl-u:ee tons
coal ash. A crystal ch:urdelier'
of
ashes,
Hepl-rlestus, enenry
of the Trojans,
rvho turns against tl-re liver rvitl-t
"gleanring fllnre." "What part have
a
1990, Neustein l-ns trrveled the rvor:ld
synrbol of cr"rlture that dranr:rtically
I in stlife or in belrinq aid?"
to cre:lte sinrilal inst:rllations, elch
illunrinates the nretaphoricrl rbyss of
the scorched
lrd
asks
flanring river? For'
dr:rrvn fi'onr local topour:rphr,, r,et
chllred dlrkness belorv llarv blocks
Nelrstein, eacl-r of the eods is a player'
alluding to univclsll thenres ofdis-
of coal suspended fi-onr the ceilir-rg ale
ir-r tl-re
pl:rcenrent and belonuing. Maps lnd
jelcrrri:rds
lnd
bordels, botl-r real and uretlpholical,
of foleboding. As the vierver trrr.rs-
strife rnd conflict that consunres
fiqure pronrinentlv in Neustein'.s lrt.
verses this nrap, he is posited at the
thenr.Tl-rr-rs, the river nrytholow is
both biblical and topical. Rivo' qf'
lite thlt
taken the altist fl'onr his nltivc
-
lorv lrerr*irrg expr-essiorts
Tl-rey nrirr-or :r peripatetic
borderline ofthe physical and the
has
political.
Pol:rnd, through \\:il1'-to1'n Europe,
civil rval that govel ns tl-ris tale
for the
each beals lespolrsibility
Aslu's, Dorncstic
lrr the Crry:rhog:r's histoly. irr plr'-
T'arrqility elludes to
corrflicts rvithirr erch corrrrrrurrity.
ticular its infinrous "burning river"
including Clevel:rnd. Israel and all
e:rrly ldnlthood in lsr;rel. retunr to
incident, Neustein hrs perceived
other conmunities that nrLlst recolr-
NervYork and
prr:rllel to m arlcient episode fi-onr
cile opposition :lnronq neiql-rbors.
Honrer''.s Iliad. In this epic tale, tl-re
liver qod, Scm:rnder', f,rcilitates dre
Trojnst escape by flooding the
phins, only to be countered by
top lcft: /lrrrr r,/-1r/r\ I)nililtli lidtLltiIit) (letril).
to childhood in the United
a
States.
bi-n:rtion:rl lifesn'le
since then.
piygy
1tf
Ashcs, Dorrrc-itic
Ttntqrility
reclertes the physical ten'lin of the
city of Cleveland :rnd
tl-re Cuval-rosir
a
I()()S.
phonr:Tirrr Srfi.rrrek
top riglrt: ./?irt r,,/. Jiltr!, I)rilNi linillilitf klctril). I r)()N
phorr:f_irr Srtirnck
bottom: (:(:(lA irrst.rlhrirrrr. I(l()S. phorrr:Tirrr Srtirnck
b
Ariane
Littrrlan-Cohen
Since qr':rdultiuq fl'onr tl-re lJezalel
Acrtd.'rnv
oiAlt .rrrtl I)csisrr irr
in 991 , Arirne Littnr:rn1
-lerus:rlenr
Col-ren has explored collective cultur:rl
l)rcvious colleborrrtions
Alinr,
I
a l:rrse
1-rave
included
public Urb:tn
l't,
'it;
tlft
1',
fl II
olive b:rrrels cont:rir.rir.rg clisc:trded
olive pits :rre clensely trrtnqed.Their-
)c'r'elopnrent Conrpau,v, Eclen Sprin g,
size ,rrrd rrrrrnbers :rllrrdc
to rlrrssivc
lr rninerll w:rtel' conlPillry, :rnd tl-re
qu:urtitics ololives, both rr virtble
Isllel National Fund (l{lren Kaycrnet
coninrer-cirrl procluct and
Lelsrael), knorvn tbr" its anibitior.rs
lsr:rcl\ rre.rr rrrir':rculous borrrrry
ti)r'estlv projects.
firce of en
As irr |r-cviorrs rvork. Littrrr.rrrCohen l-rere coll:rbot'ltes s,ith a
Illr.rnrinrrtinq the bl:rck b:rn'els rvitlr
red light flonr u'ithin, Littnrrn-Cohen
Isr:reli :trtists u,ho lre explorinq issnes
public enterprise, the Kibbutz Ilcit
skillfully tr:rnsfblnrs their utilitrtrirtn
oiidentity, ctrltur-:rl :ruthority :rnd the
t'ttrr;tls rll-lt l.trrd tIviil{-I ro rrr;trrrt:tiD its
distlibutor ol
olives in Isrtel. Havinq norked lor
Itrrrctiorr irrto drr-k [.its oirrrysterious
thlt
nrellrol-v throuqh installations
crrrnrine culturl] nrvths. Hel n'olk
.rclcl'esscs
conlnron post-nroclern col)-
celns olrepresentrttion rutd historv
:rnd
joins :l curlent qerrer:rtion of
holiness :rqrinst the ever present tbrces
rrl-
rttoderrrisrrr ;rrr,l globilliz.rtiorr.
Corrcs pot
I
du
t
il' continues Littnr:rn-
Cohen'.s investirtrttion
of
Ist'eeli
H:rshit:r, the l:rrsest
:r
short tinre on this kibbutz
Col-ren
l-r:rs
:rnc'l
irr l()Sl, Littnr:ru-
obselvecl
synibol of
rrr
clinr:tte rrncl dr,v telr:1i1r.
Frolrortiol )s. l)erl t.t1ts tlre I i r I geri rrrj
e:rrthy:rron:r of olives together rvitl-r
laboled in its olive tictor-v upon her
;trr-ivrrl irr Isr';rcl
lrid
l
thesc d:rrk ri orrrb-lrkc irrtclror-s is
nlerlrt to evoke nrcnrorv :incl
thlt it "fulfrlled
ri psvchologic:rl
clesile,
terrain datirrs blck to
rlestiny rr,ithout utopi:rn illusiols.
her desire to be plrt of tl-re Zionist
Since 1 992. her iustallrtions have
ethos of u,orkirg the l:rnd."
involvecl colllborltions rvith lsrleli
C(\ rcspolrduk( tl-rer:efole conrbines Iter
irtstitutions :rnd conrrnelcill indr.rslrv
investig:rtion of Islaeli conrnrercializ:r-
olives rrncl
ur orc'ler to sct in colrtrlst nrvtl-rical
tion u'ith :rn explor:rtion of her
bioqrlrphr rrr.l lrclsorr,rl lri\toly.
bc'twc.c'rr such r.rtopi:It longiDus ancl
colrcepts such
rrs
the
.rqrrirtst tl're rc:rlities
liti:,
in clu
"Holv Lantl"
of nroclenr-dlv
dinq ir dustrirlizrrtion, ullr:ur
.{r'r'eloIt ttet tt
;tt
ttl
r-efirrest.ttior
r.
on'r.r
biblicll tinres. lJv contrrtst, the acljrrcent
presc'nt:rtior :rnd ofltling of l{ibbutz
Beit H:rsl'rite's conurrercirl products,
n:rtion
ill
srrlsrr, resurt-rrces
the tensions
:tclr':tn cc'nr ent.
C()!r('slott(lutc( is a pon'ertul con-
t:ritrel of enrotion lnd nreniorv. In
contined rrnd c1:rrkenecl space, l:u'ge
:r
top righr: (-rrrrrTrrrr/rrrr' (lct.ril). l'l(lS. ll)(to:Tiilr Srti.rrrk
bottonr lcf't: (i,rn.lr'r,/r,11 (tlcr.ril). l'l')S. phonr:Tiilr S.rtl.rrrek
bottonr right: (l(l(lA ir*,rll.rtion. 1')')s. tho(,:Tirrr Srtl.rrrek
Betttteert Beautl,
and Dcstirtlt:Thyee Gencrations of
Israeli
Arl concludes Clevelandt year-long
comilrenloration of the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israei. Rather
than present a broad sllrvey of post-war Israeli art, we chose to focus on three artists, each
representing a generation in the lineage of Israeli art created since 1948.As such, this exhibi-
tion canlot be vierved
as a
comprehensive staternent of Israeli visual art accomplishment.
It
shifts-from post-Holocaust trauma to
to collective memory and cultural myths-and srylistic
is a selective vierv, one that captures broad thematic
questions of territory and boundaries
changes-from abstract, gesturai painting to installation art-while maintaining a consistent
exploration ofidentity in face ofcontinual struggle and change
Since 1948, Israeli artists have confronted the paradox ofcultivating a personal, expressive
language
in
a society deeply devoted
to a collectivist perspective. In an environment where
biblical, historical and political forces define every day reality and shape collective destiny,
how does one cultivate
a poetics
of the self? Can there exist artistic expression formed by the
personal, subj ective and idiosyncratic individual voice?
The three
ways.
arrisrs
in
Betwecn Beafiy and Dcstiny approach this paradox
Kupfermant purple and silver expressionistic
in distinctly different
canvases and drawings are articulations
of
menrory.Joshua Neustein's majestic Riuer of Aslrcs, DontesticTianEtility forges a connection
between local topology and the universal struggle over boundaries and territory. Ariane
Littman-Cohen explodes cultural myth with a provocative installation of olive barrels that
sets Israel! agricultural industry against her
own personal memories of working the land.
Generational differences are apparent in the choice of aesthetic forms-Kupfernran's paintings
employ the language of abstract expressionism that permeated post-war'Western art, Neustein's
topographical map evokes the realm of earthworks that came to define a post-60s generation
while Littman-Cohen's installation nrirrors the current return to personal history and biography.
Yet, all of these works reflect deep connections to Israel as a physical, sociopolitical and
psychologicalterrain.ThethreeartistsinBetlueenBeautyandDestittllconfi.ontcontenporary
life yet are never {iee from a connection to the
Jill
Snyder, Exeuttiue Director
past.
Exhibition
checklist
Hd.qltt prcdcs tlidrlt
Moshe Kupferman: Paintings, Works
Work on Paper
on Paper, Scrolls
1
Organized by the Goldie Prle.v Gallery,
Moore College ofArt and Desisn,
Philadelphia, Pennsylv:rnir
Dittrctr-slrrti-t i n
&:
tt t i
il t
I us
Joshua Neustein: River of Ashes,
Domestic Tianquiliry
99+
Oil :rnd graphite on pilper
Conrtesv of the artist
l53x
112
1
Mlteri:rls cor.lrtesy of the artist, First
Enerqv Corporrtion rrnd lluckel,e
hidustrirl Mining
99+
19U(r
Courtesy of the:rrtist
x
153
Aslrcs, Donrcstic Ti'anqriliq,
t1y lsh, co:rl and chrndelier
Oil and srtphite on p:rper
crnvas
oJ
99u
Mixed uedia installation inclucling
Work on Pnper
Painthry
Oil on
Rhter
1
Dinreusions variable
112
Courtesy of the :rrtist
1(r2
r
1
Work on Paper
1
99+
Oil, er:rphite, ch;rlk ;rncl
rvhite oil ch:rlk on paper
Courtesy olthe artist
153
x
112
Recollectious
1
Ilntitletl
l99t]
Work on Pnper
250
99+
Oil, graphite, chalk and rvliite oil chalk
oli p:lper
Carbon ;rncl tissne paper
Courtesy of the :rrtist
Conrtesy of the artist
12
153r
199r1
191)7
C:ubon and tissue paper
Courtesy olthe artist
or.r clnv:is
C)il or.r c:rnv:rs
Courtesy of the :rrtist
130
162 x 25f)
Paittittg irt Times
x
12
195
Sunrnrer 1 99(r
Oil on canvls
Courtesy of the:rrtist
Oil
130
x
x
195
Paiutirtg
l)ecenrber
1
997
Oil on canv:rs
10 inches
199r1
C:rrbon and tissue prper:
Courtesy of tl.re artist
12
195
x
10 inches
Untitled
Courtesy of the rrtist
130
x
Untitled
oJ War
1970
or.r cnr.rv:rs
10 ir-rches
Untitletl
Conrtesv of the Givon Galler,v,Tel Aviv
AYear Since the Mu'der of Yitzhak Rflbin
x
Ptittirrg
Oil
9u5
112
Work on Paper (Scroll)
199rJ
1995
Clrbon lnd
Oil, graphite and rvhite oil ch:rlk on p:rper
Cor-rrtesy of the artist
Courtesy of the artist
72.5 x 3(X).5
12
x
tissue paper
10 inches
Courtesy of tl.re ;rrtist
130
x
195
Work on Paper (Scroll)
Ariane Littman-Cohen:
1995
Work on Paper
1L)9+
Oil, eraphite :rnd rvl-rite oil
72.5
r
x
Correspondence
l9clu
300.5
ch:rlk on p:rper
Cor,rrtesy of the artist
153
Correspondence
Oil, eraphite lnd rvhite oil cl-ralk on plper
Cor.rrtesy of the :utist
Mixed media ir.rstrlhtion includins olive
barrels, olives, olive pits, sals:r, olive oil, red
light bulbs, nrosqnito netting:rnd spoons
112
Work on Paper
M:rterirls courtesy of the artist
1,993
Kibbutz Beit Hashita
Dimensior.rs variable
Oil, graphite and chalk on paper
Courtesy of the:rrtist
153
x
112
Glerreland Genter for
Contemporary Art
8501 Carnegie Avenue
tht'Horry K. Fox and Euna R.
Fir,v
C/rarilr,/r Founddtitt,,\ilrlo orrl
Eitit
Sirllo nid
di dit\t)\it)i! (h)nnt.
Clevehnd. Ohio 4410(r
276/121.-8671
.lttistt
tu,rrL\iok prLtildul by Bnkt'yL'
Inrlusnii )liuittg, Fi,il Er((), Cor)nratir\t tlntl Kibhn: Bci Htslti,t.
ar.rd