“Blade Memory” is a group exhibition curated by artists Naama Arad, Eran Nave and Ishai Shapira Kalter and including artworks by Boaz Arad, Yaron Attar, Michal Bachi, Yaacov Dorchin, Sharon Fadida, Yonatan Geron and Ariel Kleiner, Yitzhak Golombek, Elad Haiman, Omer Halperin, Michal Makaresco, Boaz Levental, Amit Levinger, Pearl Schneider, Noa Schwartz, Siona Shimshi, Narkis Vizel, and Oded Yaakov.

“Blade Memory” is an exhibition conceived in two chapters. The first chapter, presented at CCA Tel Aviv-Yafo, will celebrate independent figures in the Israeli art scene and will display artworks that refuse the notion of “production.” Furthermore it will be presented through an immersive installation that aims at transforming the pristine white cube space into a collage of scenes and objects that are identified with Tel Aviv: from the streets of the Shapira Neighborhood to a semi-abandoned office building in the city center; from cheap plastic window blinds to a Barkan Mount’s TV holder.

The second chapter, to be presented at the Dortmunder Kunsteverein in Dortmund (Germany) in 2022, will showcase artworks traveling inside suitcases and carried by the curators. This act underlines the desire to prioritize the movement of subjects, over the movement of objects. Therefore, the logistic aspects of the exhibition will acquire a performative tone and its manifestation in Germany will go beyond the premises of the institution, transforming the city of Dortmund into a set, hosting a plethora of minor interventions, ephemeral actions, private gatherings and public events – hosted by the curators, who will be acting as artists in residence.

Following the aforementioned conceptual and logistic frame, “Blade Memory” can be experienced either as a group exhibition, a three-person show, or a total artwork. This multifaceted position brings to the fore three main modes of operation: appropriating, as often happens with exhibitions curated by artists; blending, perfectly embodied by an exhibition-within-the-exhibition in which a painting show is presented inside a sukkah; and sampling, as described in the collage of scenes from different areas of Tel Aviv and perfecting summarized by the title, a Hebrew expression – זיכרון חרבות [zichron haravot] – which evokes the image of a stabbing memory.

“Blade Memory” is guest-curated by Naama Arad, Eran Nave and Ishai Shapira Kalter.

The exhibition is accompanied by printed matter in Hebrew, Arabic and English, a poetry reading by Narkis Vizel on December 22, exhibition tours in Hebrew on March 6 and 20, an artist talk by Michal Bachi on March 10, a performance by Yonatan Geron and Ariel Kleiner, with Yoel Peled on March 17, a roundtable moderated by Nave on March 31, a lecture by Nicola Trezzi on April 3 and an exhibition tour in English on April 3.

“Blade Memory” is supported by Taboola and by the Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo – Art Division; special thanks to the Roads and Lighting Department of the Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Following the presentations at CCA and at the Kunstverein, Mousse published an exhibition catalogue with content in English.

Images

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“Blade Memory,” 2020-2021

View of the exhibition at CCA Tel Aviv-Yafo; artworks by Yitzhak Golombek (center, floor) and Michal Makaresco (right and along the wall)

Photo: Liat Elbling

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“Blade Memory,” 2020-2021

View of the exhibition at CCA Tel Aviv-Yafo; artworks by Yaacov Dorchin (floor), Siona Shimshi (wall), Yonatan Geron and Ariel Kleiner (ceiling)

Photo: Liat Elbling

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Siona Shimshi

Class Picture 1939, 1965

Clay, 30 × 35 × 3 cm

Courtesy of the Estate of Siona Shimshi

Photo: Liat Elbling

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“Blade Memory,” 2020-2021

View of the exhibition at CCA Tel Aviv-Yafo; artworks by Narkis Vizel (wall), Yonatan Geron and Ariel Kleiner (ceiling)

Photo: Liat Elbling