The exhibition "The Ram in the Thicket by Sigalit Landau" is running until August 18th at the Forum on the 8th floor of Maison Hermès in Ginza. Landau himself visited Japan for the opening and gave a talk about his work.
The exhibition consists of two installations. One is an extension of his previously released video work "Out in the Thicket." Images of a harvesting machine violently shaking olive trees are projected onto four screens hanging from the ceiling. The harvesting machine itself is installed on the floor, allowing visitors to feel the same sensations as the olive trees, being pinched and shaken.
Olives harvested daily in kibbutzim (agricultural communities) in southern Israel are not harvested naturally, but are instead harvested mechanically in large plantations in short periods of time. This is because the unstable political situation means it is unclear when the harvest will become unviable. "In Israel, the sad reality is that ancient olive trees cultivated by Palestinian farmers are being cut down during the construction of the wall," Landau explains. Ironically, the olive, a symbol of peace, emerges as a symbol of fear. Another piece is "Behold the Fire and the Wood," a new work recreating a room in Israel in the 1950s. "It's an unreleased installation that recreates part of my grandfather's house," Landau explains. In the kitchen, you can hear the conversations of women who had immigrated to Israel from around the world, and tombstones are visible in part of the living room. The empty house calls attention to the absence of people, prompting us to consider the generational gap between Israel in the 1950s and today. The work invites us to consider the social and political implications of private experiences within the home. The artist, who continues to work in Tel Aviv, values remaining peaceful, nonviolent, and visibly active in the face of the cycle of violence. She avoids brandishing righteousness and does not use slogans. "I think that when an artist turns personal ideas into artwork and influences others, it is a political act in itself. In that sense, all artists are political. I, in particular, commit to a group, build relationships with others, and try to connect them in some way. I think that creating artwork while ignoring political issues is itself very political, and that is dangerous," she says.
She is currently working on a project to build a "salt bridge" across the Dead Sea, connecting Israel and Jordan. It is scheduled for completion in 2014, the 20th anniversary of Jordan and Israel establishing diplomatic relations.
[Event Information]
"The Ram of Ur" Sigalit Landau Exhibition
Venue: Forum, 8th floor, Maison Hermès
Location: 5-4-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Dates: Until August 18th
Time: 11:00 - 20:00 (until 19:00 on Sundays)
Free admission
