New Article: Ozeri, The 2015 Jerusalem Biennale for Contemporary Jewish Art

Ozeri, Ram. “The 2015 Jerusalem Biennale for Contemporary Jewish Art.” Nashim 29 (2015): 142-6.
 
URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/nashim.29.142
 
Abstract

The Jerusalem Biennale is a platform for professional artists whose current work relates, in one way or another, to the world of Jewish content within the conceptual framework of contemporary Jewish art. It does not attempt to answer the questions of what contemporary Jewish art is, or whether there is such a thing at all. The Biennale endeavors to create spaces where the discussion can take place and develop.

Many people view the fields of “Jewish art” and “contemporary art” as mutually exclusive. Jewish art is often associated with Judaica –traditional objects used in religious rituals – while contemporary art is characterized by the use of modern media such as video, sound, installation and performance, and by themes relevant to the present. The main challenge of the Jerusalem Biennale is to promote art that is both Jewish and contemporary. This focus offers a promising alternative to the conventional boundaries of Israeli art and opens the event up to the Jewish world at large.