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Jewishness as Identity in Young Israeli Art
In the past year a new and surprising tendency is discernible in Israeli art – young artists are extensively preoccupied with their Jewish identity, while employing and adopting classical Jewish symbols from the Judaic reservoir, and even more surprisingly – from the well-known anti-Semitic repertory. This is an unprecedented phenomenon. Since its very outset, Israeli art has striven to establish a universalism and Israeliness distinctly detached from any reference to Jewishness. In fact, since the first generation of Israeli art that brought the preoccupation with Judaica with it from Europe, the engagement with Jewishness in art was almost taboo. Moshe Gershuni was the first to violate that taboo. Michael Sgan-Cohen also made such attempts in other ways. Nowadays we are concerned with a sweeping phenomenon, rather than an individual caprice. The roots of this phenomenon are unclear. It could be related to the outbreak of the Intifada (Palestinian uprising) and to Israel’s situation in the international scene. These are issues yet to be explored. In any event, we are looking at a new, unique phenomenon that is bound to have an impact on the public sphere in Israel. Studio is currently planning a special issue that will delve into this subject.
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