A unique project will soon see buildings in central Jerusalem graced with murals that will breathe life into a story penned by acclaimed Israeli author Gail Hareven, the Jerusalem Municipality said Thursday. "A Jerusalem Love Story" was written by Hareven, a 2002 Sapir Prize for Literature laureate, especially for the project, called "City of Stories." The project will see major buildings in downtown Jerusalem turned into the "pages" of the book, and carry murals depicting the plot and some of its dialogue. The wall paintings will be as large as 10x15 meters (33x49 feet) in size, and will be painted by seven Jerusalem-based artists. They will also include clues that passersby will be able to use to find the next "page" of the book. The project, that "seeks to allow the public to walk through the book against the unique views and atmosphere of Jerusalem," is the product of a collaboration between the Jerusalem Municipality's Arts and Culture Division and the Jerusalem Development Authority. A city official told Israel Hayom the project is part of an ongoing initiative to enrich the capital's public sphere with quality, contemporary art, with the aim of improving the urban experience offered to Jerusalem's residents and visitors, by adding a unique dimension to the cityscape. "'City of Stories' is an original, unique project, which is the brainchild of the Visual Arts Department and graphic designer Eitam Tubul," said department head Hila Smoliansky. "This project offers a new outlook on murals in the public sphere, in the sense that it goes beyond the scope of one mural on one wall, and offers a series of original wall paintings meant to spark people's imagination as they tour the city." The project was created specifically for Jerusalem, Smoliansky said, "And author Gail Hareven rose to the challenge and wrote a story that corresponds with the cityscape. Hareven incorporated the city's unique character into the story, which depicts the contemporary life of young people in Jerusalem, and it does not ignore the inherent challenges it entails." Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said, "This is a unique project that is another step in exposing the public to contemporary, interesting artwork. It joins various other projects across the city, such as the night market and street artists fair. "This project and others like it strengthen Jerusalem's appeal as a young, vibrant and innovative city and tourist attraction. I invite everyone to come and enjoy this magical experience."
