Description
”Altneuland”, Joseph Herzel‘s book that was translated into hebrew as „Tel Aviv“ („Tel“ mound of ancient civilization and ‚Aviv‘ spring - the season of new life bursting) become in 1908 the name of the newly founded city of Tel Aviv. Both, the title of the book and the city‘s name imply transformation of something old (alt) into something new (neu). Beginning of the 20th century Herzel‘s utopian novel described an idea of how to possibly organize a cosmopolitan society. Beginning of the 21st century we stand before the same challenges.
A backyard in Tel Aviv – full of old furniture and rubbish – is the starting point for this project. Abandoned objects in a forgotten space. This place, which is the backyard of „The Glasshouse”, was transformed into a NEW space – a „white canvas“.
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The old junk was arranged into a living-space and painted white, shaped it into a new form. (Act 1)
A dinner during the Tel Aviv Biennale inaugurated the space as a place of encounters, a place of discussion but also of contemplation. (Act 2)
After this dinner the place was returned to the inhabitants of the house. The transformation is in their hands now. (Act 3 - open end)
Exhibited in:
The Glasshouse, During the Art Summer in Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2009
