STUDIO: Zipora Rafaelov

“It’s like hurling a bowl of water in the air and the water freezes to ice within seconds and maintains its position in space.” For the STUDIO of the Kunsthalle Mannheim, the Israeli artist Zipora Rafaelov is developing an expansive installation employing a very special technique. With a 3D drawing pen, Rafaelov draws structures made of quickly solidifying plastic in the space. Using a light source aligned to the installation of lines, shadow images appear on one wall of the exhibition space. Light and shadow let a relation emerge between the drawn object and its projected image. The artist thus metaphorically refers to the connection between heaven and earth. The installation seeks to create a meditative atmosphere of calmness and deceleration for the viewers. Zipora Rafaelov, born in Beer-Sheva in 1954, lives and works in Düsseldorf and Tel Aviv. In her works, the artist reflects a variety of themes such as her own cultural identity in Judaism and the cultural and political significance of her life in Germany against the background of National Socialism. With this show, the Kunsthalle Mannheim takes part in the special festival year “1,700 Years of Jewish Life in Germany” and reinforces its commitment to communicating present-day Jewish culture.

Curator: Dr. Sebastian Baden

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