Friends of Bezalel Fall Celebration
December 11, 2008
Sotheby's, New York
Please join us on Thursday, December 11th at Sotheby’s for the Friends of Bezalel annual Celebration of the Arts. The evening will be hosted by Sotheby’s Chairman, Lisa Dennison, and will preview the Israeli and International Art sale. We are thrilled to present Frank Stella with our Jerusalem Prize for Arts and Letters. We are also delighted to be honoring two very important individuals who have helped to promote Israeli art in America: Jennifer Roth and Rivka Saker. We have the added pleasure of recognizing Blanche and Romie Shapiro, Founders of Friends of Bezalel, whose inspiration, vision and support has meant so much to Israeli art for several decades. Don’t miss this wonderful event! LEARN MORE.

Yael Bartana Installation at PS1
October 2008
P.S.1, Long Island City, NY
Join Friends of Bezalel and graduate Yael Bartana in a special viewing of Yael's one-woman installation at P.S.1.


A Conversation with Elinor Milchan and Avishai Cohen
November 6, 2008
Maison Gerard Gallery at 53 East 10th Street between Broadway and University.
Artist Elinor Milchan will donate an evening to Friends of Bezalel on the occasion of the launch of her wondrous multi-screen video installation, Seven: A Visual Journey of Light as a Symbol of Time. Milchan's collaborator, renowned international jazz musician Avishai Cohen, will join her to discuss the design, creation, and significance of this remarkable work. Copies of Elinor's book, Seven, published by Charta, will be available for purchase. All proceeds will benefit Friends of Bezalel. Visit Elinor Milchan's website. Learn more about this innovative public video installation. [PDF]
Credit: Video stills from 'Seven' installation.

Offenbach poster exhibit
Begins August 1
Jewish Community Center, Offenbach, Germany
The Jewish Community Center in Offenbach presents 30 posters designed by Bezalel Academy students that document the evolution of Israel—from an agrarian to a knowledge society, from auspicious beginnings to the ambivalence of today's culture. The topics depicted in the posters are varied, ranging from the Zionist departure at the beginning of the 20th century to the struggle for independence and the founding of the state. View more posters from this exhibit. [PDF]

Short Cuts
May 15 - Sept 7, 2008
Gardiner Museum, Toronto
A delightful collaboration between Maya Shapira and Sahar Batsry is now on display as part of the 'Object Factory' exhibition at Toronto's Gardiner Museum. 'Short Cuts' is a charming collection of ceramic tableware fabricated from existing, mass-produced tableware.

Access to Israel
Beginning September 10, 2008
Jüdischen Museum in Frankfurt
Access to Israel marks the start of a series of exhibitions and events in the Jewish Museum Frankfurt aimed at providing intellectual access to Israel. This first exhibition presents a broad spectrum of artistic media, including photo works, video installations, painting, and sculpture. Participants in the exhibit include Gilad Ofir, lecturer in the Bezalel Fine Arts department; Yehudit Sasportas, Bezalel graduate and lecturer in the Fine Arts department; and Nir Hod, a Bezalel Fine Arts department graduate.


Michal Rovner: Video, Sculpture, Installation
June 28 - September 28
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington, New York
Michal Rovner, Bezalel graduate and recipient of America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarships, presents a variety of dazzling works that reflect her extensive background in cinema and photography. The 2003 video 'More', a highlight of the exhibition, depicts teeming masses of anonymous figures that impart a sense of mass humanity, dynamic culture, and man's ultimate insignificance and vulnerability.
Credit: Makom II, 2007-2008, stone structure, 142 x 197 x 197 inches

Mother Economy, a solo exhibition by Maya Zack
July 1 - October 23, 2008
The Jewish Museum, New York City
Maya Zack, Bezalel graduate and lecturer, presents a solo exhibition at the Jewish Museum that includes her award-winning short film 'Mother Economy'. The work was selected from 500 submissions as the winner of the Celeste Art Prize during the 2008 Video Art Festival in Berlin. 'Mother Economy' deals in a contemporary way with issues of Jewish identity, cultural memory, and the quantization of feelings and emotions. Explore the Jewish Museum and enjoy a glimpse of Maya's work.

In his review, critic George Robinson writes that Maya Zack's Mother Economy is "one of the most powerful Jewish-themed films of the year and by itself well worth a trip to The Jewish Museum." Read the full article.
Credit: Video still from 'Mother Economy'.

The Mammals, an installation by Noa Lidor
Open until November 2008
Tate Modern, London—Members Room
2001 Bezalel Graduate Noa Lidor presents an installation called 'The Mammals' in the Members Room at London's exceptional Tate Modern museum. Please note that admission to the Members Room is exclusive to Tate members; if you would like to see the show, please email Noa several days in advance so she can make arrangements for you.