The exhibition "Transit" at Lobby Art Space in Tel Aviv presents the eclectic works of three Israeli Arab artists. Nasrin Abu Baker, Eram Aghbarih and Shams Howari Zoabi use various techniques and media to explore the limits of the body and identity in several aspects. Realized by Orit Mor and Saher Miari, the exhibition shows paintings, carpets, curtains, photos but also plates that carry a part of their history both personal and collective.
Painting on fabrics, on canvas and on objects, alongside works made from materials from the kitchen or household products. The artists of "Transit", offer a striking artistic experience that perfectly reflects the concept of chance and "lack of control". They examine each in their own way, the slow process by which the material becomes a representative and multi-contextual whole.
Eram Aghbarih creates abstract shapes from a chemical reaction by blowing in a straw immersed in water-diluted paint and creates a bubble that forms a cloud floating on the canvas. An unconventional technique to freeze a moment in a continuous action.
"The use of soap comes from my childhood, the game of soap bubbles that my father bought us, it has become a technique of predilection. But in reality, it’s much more: it’s an experience and a language that allows me to express myself differently than words. This gives me the opportunity to create a bridge between my feelings and the outside world," says Eram.
In addition to acrylic paint, artists use oil and coffee, detergents, blood or liquid concrete. This refers to their cultural traditions and symbolizes the claim of their independence and place in society.
Shams Howari Zoabi found inspiration in the kitchen. "I started working with spices, coffee, olive oil, everything I used to make my recipes, then I used bleach or acetone. Then I integrated the household products. I use fabrics to tell my story and design artistic scenarios," she said.
The use of detergents in the works of Shams Howari Zoabi takes on a broad meaning related to the purification, whitening and erasure of social, political and gender contexts. Shams chose the pattern of the black goat, which symbolizes the relationship between the Arab population of Israel and the authorities. In 1950, the breeding of black goats, which were an important food source for the Arab population, was banned in Israel because the authorities believed they were harmful to nature. In the end, it turned out that stopping their breeding was not good for the environment, and in 2017 the ban was lifted.
Finally, Nasrin Abu Baker works mainly with diluted liquid concrete. In one of her works, she pours concrete on porcelain plates, originating from Europe. Thus, she creates abstract concrete tasks, which resemble food on a plate or a landscape.
"The materials that are an integral part of my work relate to my origins: concrete for my father worker, and fabric for my mother seamstress. I am very connected to materials and what they can offer us, they have many properties that must be exploited, both coarse and fine materials. I oscillate between paintings and installations, I work like a worker: I build," says Nasrin.
Concrete, evokes workers from local Arab society and their place in the construction sector; Nasrin thus addresses the dimension of power relations between the Arab and Jewish population. She soaks fine fabrics in concrete, stains and "smears" them, until they become almost unrecognizable. The connection between materials from opposite worlds creates a contrast between the decorative source associated with femininity and the concrete associated with masculinity.
Politics, an integral part of art?
Nasrin Abu Baker, Eram Aghbarih and Shams Howari Zoabi walk in the footsteps of many local Arab artists around the identity issues inherent in their works - both as women and as members of a minority in Israel.
"In this country, regardless of our identity, religion and city of origin, politics flows in our veins; as an artist we cannot get rid of it even if we try to propose something different related to childhood for example, everything refers to politics, including art,' stresses Nasrin.
"The ongoing war must not affect art and our work, or stop it. Even if the artists try to get rid of politics in one way or another, it is always found in the works in small touches," stresses Saher Miari, curator of the exhibition.
In recent years, more and more Israeli Arabs have chosen an artistic career. A phenomenon that was unusual before and that reveals the emancipation of these women who now dare to enroll in art courses at the university or in specialized schools.
The exhibition is open until July 13 (Thu 16-20, Friday - Sat 11-14) 6 Arlozorov in Tel Aviv.
Caroline Haïat
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