An installation at the exhibition Mactub,
the Museum of Islamic and Near Eastern Culture, Beer Sheva, curator: Sharon Laor-Sirak | 2016-2017
The installation is based on handwritten typography. The sentence repeats over and over in a Mantric manner in two languages:
Hebrew ) אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה (
Arabic ( أهيه الذي أهيه ).
The original sentence appears in the Bible several times as one of many God's names. Hebrew is not an unequivocal language, therefore could be translated in many ways:
I will exist because I will exist
I exist because I exist
I am that I am
I am who I am
I will be who I will be
I am that which is exists
The interpretation of the current name of god is that he exists by himself for himself. He is the creator who was not created. He is independent of any force, concept or entity.
The sentence is being used in the Kabbalah as a Mantra since the 13th century. By repetition of it, one can achieve exaltation to a higher levels of consciousness.
The core of the project lies in the creation process; an examination of the meditative state of mantric, repetitive writing, using an ancient writing technique - pen and ink. This is an exploration of the visual and spiritual differences between the two languages. They are intertwined. Together, they create an organic pattern. The weaving technique dismisses the fragility of the thin paper and turns it into a strong and stable object.
The subject of this artwork is as the nature of the written sentence; an identity determination, of a place, of a collective and individual history. The artwork reflects on a complexed relationship between two collective identities that share history and present reality, in one geographical location - Israel / Palestine. Both exist by themselves for themselves, yearn for independent existence, yet, their history and identity are bind in an indivisible way. Their relationship is fragile as the thin, transparent paper. The two languages interfere one another, run over each other and disable each others readability. And yet, the combination of them creates a rich texture in an uniform, strong and stable object.