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Kabbalah art or whatever

In Tzfat, we saw tons of artists, mostly quite religious ones, but Avraham, who came to live in Israel from Detroit, is particular in his staunch cause.
I completely understand how the ancient mysticism born in Tzfat reveals answers to very probing questions.  Fine.  I don’t myself understand its meanings or essential teachings at all, but I accept its power and phenomenal wisdom.  For centuries, men have devoted their lives to reading the text and learning how to tackle those scary little questions.
With infinite numerical possibilities and minute details alluding to answers, how can one man create a series of endless prints reflecting these grandiose concepts? I see, perhaps, how one can cease an idea based on this age-old religious mysticism and turn it into an image.  After all, artists are creative and a concept always lends itself into an image for interpretation and inspection.  
His oversimplified imagery is like the Kabbalah for Dummies version, probably fitting for the Kabbalah that Madonna and Britney so vehemently embrace.  I don’t have any issues with that even.  My issue is with the “art” part of the title.  It’s neither unique nor individually inspired; it doesn’t elaborate on personal hardship or respond to any sordid truths.  Rather, it simplifies something inherently complex by rendering it, I’ll say it, primitive.  In a way, it’s entirely in line with Madonna’s (Esther’s) penchant for Jewish mysticism and makes it accessible to the likes of me.  Accessible, maybe, except that this democratic approach works much better for graffiti.  

returnlight_best.jpg I bought this piece but only because it reminds me of a Malevich.

malevich.aeroplane-flying.jpg 

Posted on Monday, July 2, 2007 at 01:01PM by Registered CommenterJulie | CommentsPost a Comment

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