The Knesset is known for stormy debates during discussions in which Ministers of Knesset (MKs) slander each other while dealing with the state budget or listening to long speeches by elected public officials. It is not known, however, for its other cultural side - an art exhibition currently on public display. The exhibit entitled, Israeli Texture, presents 46 works (two-dimensional) by 31 talented Israeli artists along the wide hallways of two public spaces in the Knesset building. The Knesset acquired the art for approximately NIS 300,000 (about $88,000). This marks the first time in history that the Knesset published an open call inviting Israeli artists to suggest creations for public display. Sharon Sofer, curator of the exhibit and head of staff in the Knesset Research and Information Center, tells how the exhibit was born. We turned to the public a year ago. The artists interest was astonishing. Two hundred artists submitted 550 works. Fifty works of which were not even looked at by the public committee because they did not fit the criteria. The criteria were stringent, accepting Only Israeli citizens or permanent residents who had held at least one solo exhibition and participated in at least two group exhibitions, in a highly-respected museum in Israel or abroad, and working in the field of plastic arts consistently for at least the past five years. One might question why other artists were not also give a chance, such as those who have not yet exhibited in a highly-respected museum, to demonstrate their abilities or present the talents of a younger generation that have not yet had their works in museums. Lavie Stern, an artist and art critic herself and a graduate of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, was one of the three members of the public selection committee, along with Nirit Nelson and Timna Ligman. She responded to this question saying, the Knesset does not acquire the work of emerging artists. We had to set a particular standard, otherwise we would have expected thousands of pieces. From the Bible to the Kibbutz Artists were invited to send works dealing with any subject; those chosen deal with a wide range of subjects, among them David and Goliath, sites in Israel such as the Hermon, Jerusalem, Kibbutz Nir Eliyahu, Kfar Malal and current issues, such as the disengagement and reparation projects in struggling urban neighborhoods. Stern says that, the common thread among the works is that they are all very Israeli. She also noted that the Knesset set a price range for the works, between NIS 2,000-8,0000 (about $580-2300), and some artists did not submit works at all because the price was too low. Surprisingly, there are almost no pieces that make a political statement in them. Despite this overall factor, one piece has awakened some criticism. The work is entitled The Citrus Grower and it is the creation of the artist Eliyahu Arik Bokobza. The painting shows a 13-member Arab family in the shade of an orange tree full of ripe fruit. MK Ariyeh Eldad (National Unity) requested that Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin have it removed. MK Eldad claimed that the picture emphasizes the Palestinian Nakba [a term used for the memory of Israels Independence Day] narrative. The claim seemed a bit erroneous to exhibition organizers because it is based on a circa 1939 picture by Armenian photographer Elia Qahwejian that immortalizes a Jaffa Arab family from before the state of Israel was even established. Rivlin has ignored the request and the painting is displayed alongside other works in the new Knesset wing. Painting in Grandpas memory Sofer said that artists who submitted work were also asked to submit their resume and tell the background of each piece. One of the stories that touched me emotionally was that of artist Ariela Plotkin who sent a work in three pieces entitled, Self-Portrait with Grandpa Tzvi. She wrote, it would bring great pride to both my family and myself if this piece were displayed in Israels Knesset. Plotkin said that all three drawings express her familys story. Her mother made aliyah [immigrated] from Lithuania to Israel in 1946 with her parents. It was a very Zionist aliyah. They gave up all of their possessions to come to Israel and had very little here. Her grandfather, Tzvi, died when she was only four years old, but his image guided her throughout her life. He was an accountant and spoke to her only in Yiddish. For her family, the acquisition of her drawings and prints by the Knesset in itself was a big deal. She came to the exhibition opening with her parents. She told me that she was very happy to have brought them such joy seeing her work on permanent display in the Knesset. Stern was impressed that the Knesset, a political body, respected the decisions of the public committee and did not interfere. The works we chose were unanimously agreed on by all three of us, not ones that we debated on. She also praised the Knesset for its decision to display art in its hallways. I have heard of a number of people who have traveled to Jerusalem especially to visit the exhibition at the Knesset. Wall carpets, mosaics and formal receptions In addition to the exhibit of this new art, the Knesset building boasts other permanent art collections. Most notably, of course, is the Chagall Hall, designed by Russian-born French artist Mark Chagall and displaying his works. The room, on 4th floor of the building, is where guests and dignitaries are officially welcomed to the Knesset and proudly displays Chagalls intricate and colorful wall carpets. They portray scenes of a vision of the End of Days, the Exodus from Egypt and the Return to Zion. They combine motifs from the Bible and from Chagalls childhood expressing his perspective on modern Jewish history. As is the case in others works as well, one can see how Chagall examines the borders between opposing imagery with double faces, upside-down heads and mixed gender imagery. On the other end of the hall are Chagalls mosaics, installed in the floor, that are inspired by the floor decorations of ancient synagogues.
