Pictures from Israel
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Israel-©-MEA-20170412-(N59)–Art-in-Jerusalem-(Guitarist-and-the-Mural)
Art in Jerusalem –Guitarist and the Mural
If you find yourself wandering around the back streets outside the Old City of Jerusalem, you may come across this mural. An outstanding juxtaposition of old and new, real and imagined. The artist found just the right place to leave a conceptual painting which engages all passers-by. This anonymous guitarist melds into a background of Jerusalem culture, both old and new. Time stands still for all the players in this pantomime. The central figure, a patron of the artist, waits in silence as the guitarist’s strumming hand is suddenly drawn to his mobile phone, leaving his other hand frozen on the fret-board.
If you like this picture, check out next week’s picture as we continue this series of Art in Jerusalem.
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Pictures from Israel
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Israel-©-MEA-20170405-(N16)–Art-in-Jerusalem-(Samson-kills-the-lion)
Samson Kills the Lion
Street artist Solomon Souza has so many of his paintings displayed on shop fronts within Jerusalem’s Mehane Yehuda fruit and vegetable markets, that it could be mistaken for his own art gallery. This street-art gallery can only be view of Saturdays or when the markets are closed. The 22 year-old, British born artist, is also known as ‘The Indian Picasso’, a name taken after his grandfather who was born in India. He was a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group in Bombay and many of his painting have sold for millions of dollars.
This mural of Samson killing the lion is particularly dramatic, capturing the intense battle between man and beast with interweaving hard lines and colour increasing the tension. Samson is one of the Bible’s most colourful anti-heroes and his full adventure-story can be found in the pages of the Book of Judges. Here is an excerpt from Chapter 14 verses 5 and 6.
“… and Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah. When they came to the vineyards of Timnah, a young lion roared at him. The Spirit of God came powerfully upon Samson, and barehanded he tore the lion to pieces as easily as if it had been a young goat.”
Solomon Souza has signed this piece in the bottom left hand corner with his name and the Hebrew year 5775, which is the year 2014 on the Gregorian Calendar.
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Pictures from Israel
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Israel @ MEA 20170329 (V016) Life in Jerusalem – Art and Artists -5 The Juggler
The up-market and prestigious Mamilla Shopping Mall in Jerusalem attracts hundreds of street performers from Israel and many other countries. Street performers are generally well-skilled, creative and entertaining. This particular juggler is a “toss juggler”, who throws and catches various objects ranging from bowling pins to fire sticks.
This juggler is frozen in time and space, framed by classical dancers, and models who peer out from the confines of their shopfront windows. Beit She’an is one of the oldest cities in Israel with a great history, yet is often overlooked by tourists.
This photograph was taken during the time of Passover when Israel hosts the annual International Juggling Convention, which is the second-biggest Juggling Convention in the world. About 2,000 people attend the convention which is held in Beit She’an National Park close to the Galilee. There are workshops for children and adults and on the closing night of the Convention, world-class jugglers perform to the large crowd.
Copyright exists in all the material on this website and is owned by Messianic Education Australia Ltd. unless otherwise explicitly stated. This copyright extends to the images, logos, layout and presentation styles as well as the text material.
Pictures from Israel
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Israel @ MEA 20170322 (V047) Life in Jerusalem – Art and Artists -4 Street Art
Moses in Jerusalem
To proclaim that Moses was ever in Jerusalem would be both right and wrong. Firstly, Moses was prohibited by God from entering the Promised Land at the end of his journey with the Israelites. However, Moses did appear in Jerusalem along with Elijah and Yeshua during the famous ‘transfiguration’ episode recorded Matthew 17:2. The picture above was discovered within the famous MehaneYehuda markets, and recalls another time when Moses was also with the Children of Israel.
Prominent British-born artist Solomon Souza, along with others, have spray painted and graffitied their way through the assortment of closed shutter-doors. Solomon Souza has painted approximately 140 shutter-doors including this one of Moses with the snake on his staff, a story from Numbers 21:9 which says, “Moses made a bronze snake and put it on the pole; if a snake had bitten someone, then, when he looked toward the bronze snake, he stayed alive.”
Unlike the busy weekdays in MehaneYehuda, Saturdays tell a very different story. The markets are closed and silent, the shutters are down and the people have vanished, for it is the Sabbath, a day of rest. Only a few pedestrians find their way through this labyrinth of about 360 shutter-door paintings, depicting scenes and characters which only come to life when the Markets are closed. The paintings feature Biblical characters, along with famous Jewish leaders, visionaries and heroes who have contributed to the colourful religious and secular history of the Jewish people.
MehaneYehuda is also called the Shuk, where thousands of shoppers move around in an unending display of bustling sights, sounds and smells. During weekdays, hundreds of shops and stalls sell everything from fruit and vegetables to bread products, fish, meat, cheeses, nuts, seeds, wines and liquors, clothing and shoes, house ware and textiles. Along with the restaurants, juice bars, cafes and food outlets, there are many open air stalls selling Middle Eastern desserts such as halva and baklava. Weekday evenings are also very busy, attracting the younger people to a night of relaxation and fun.
So, when you are next in Jerusalem, remember to experience the street art cultural.
Copyright exists in all the material on this website and is owned by Messianic Education Australia Ltd. unless otherwise explicitly stated. This copyright extends to the images, logos, layout and presentation styles as well as the text material.
Pictures from Israel
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+Israel © MEA 29170315-Life in Jerusalem -Art and Artists – Bikes
Walking through the streets of Jerusalem presents an array of interesting and sometimes surprising works of Art. However, even though the bicycles lined up in this picture have another purpose, they accidentally collaborate in the world of conceptual art. Reaching to the sky, each bicycle signals its superiority over the other, demanding our attention to claim it and non other. Even the most forward bike is damaged, it tells us something of its story.
This ‘accidental’ public art installation is a classic example of line, shape and colour, with spatial perception that draws us through the lines of the spokes into the vastness of the sky. Tourists who might take to the streets on one of these bikes, will catch the attention of cars and pedestrians alike with the clock-like drums or flower pots sitting on top of the bicycle’s high masts.
These bicycles could easily typify Jerusalem’s residence: colourful, activity, energy, fun with the occasional accidents and drama. Overall, they speak of enjoying life no matter what the circumstances. The Hebrew word for life is “chai”. So, the next time when you raise your wine glass in celebration or salute, remember Jerusalem as you shout out Lechaim… ‘to life’!
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Pictures from Israel
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Israel © MEA 20170308 (N009) -Life in Jerusalem -Art and Artists-2
This picture is the second in the Series: Life in Jerusalem -Art and Artists. An estimated 20,000 people walk through the Mall during the summer months of June and July to check out the shops and of course the art exhibitions featured along the promenade. This sculpture is called the Lady and her Dog are about to ‘ascend’ the warm, rich and naturally textured stone stairs to the upper level of the Mall. The Jerusalem stone featured in this picture is a required building material throughout Jerusalem, which preserves the ambient character of the city. As one walks through the Mall, historical landmarks such as the Tower of David and the Jaffa Gate can still be seen from different directions. The Mall consists of eye catching, highly fashionable shops such as the American clothes designer, Tommy Hilfiger and the Israeli clothes designer and internationally renowned Ronen Chen.
The architecturally beautiful Mamilla Shopping Centre, also known as the Mall is situated just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. In designing the Mall to blend with the surrounding old buildings in the existing neighbourhood in Mamilla, architect Moshe Safdie used similar construction styles and materials, were arches from some of the 19th Century buildings were included in the modern construction. Also to add visual variety, the various buildings, shops and cafes are offset to one another, avoiding the more common ‘straight line’ planning common to many other Malls.
Copyright exists in all the material on this website and is owned by Messianic Education Australia Ltd. unless otherwise explicitly stated. This copyright extends to the images, logos, layout and presentation styles as well as the text material.
