Welcome To “ARTZINE”
Today is launch day of my blog’s new feature “ARTZINE”
“ARTZINE” is a monthly art feature, where I will be sharing my experiences, thoughts and feelings regarding art.
I want to raise some age-old questions, that continue to be asked by each generation
as the face of art changes, and look at the new ways in which art is manifesting today.
To find out more visit the “ARTZINE” page
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Haifa Museum of Art & The Chicago Triangle
To launch my blog’s new feature, I thought I’d start by sharing my most recent artistic excursion. It was a visit to the ‘Haifa Museum of Art’, and it wasn’t at all what I was expecting.
The museum has an on-going project called “Chicago Triangle”, in which female artists are invited to create new a work as a tribute to another woman of their choice.
The project was designed to mark the 40th anniversary of the start of Judy Chicago’s work on “The Dinner Party”.
First opened to the public in 1979, it consists of a triangular table set with 39 place settings, each representing a female figure chosen for their influence, or contribution to history, in various fields. Another 999 women are represented by their names on floor tiles.
“The Dinner Party” was considered to be a milestone in the changing position of women in the field of art.
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Here are some of the exhibits on display as part of the Chicago Triangle project.
Artist: Sigalit Landau
Work: Lot’s Wife (2013)
Info: Traditional corset, standard cup size 42,decorated with lace and suspended in Dead Sea water.
A Tribute To: Lot’s Wife, the biblical character turned to a pillar of salt as she looked back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
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Many aspects of woman are represented in the project, but what was sad, was that so many were negative. Self harm, domestic abuse, enslavement, neglect, mutilation and emotional violence to name just a few.
I’m not a stranger to modern art and I’m certainly no prude, still I was surprised by the sheer volume of female genitalia on display, albeit vintage. No debate, no warnings, no age restrictions. Just the same open, honest and beautiful image of the female body from a very revealing angle, with various messages stamped over it.
Messages like:
“Don’t Want Your Abuse”
“Don’t Want Your Beauty”
“No”
“Don’t Want Your Tragedy”
“Unknown”
“Don’t Want Your World”
All the way to …
“Don’t Want Your Zoom”
Painted 148 years ago, this image is still so controversial that it is banned on Facebook.
Wikipedia, fortunately, has no such censorship.
So if you want to see it in it’s natural state and read it’s history just click on the image below.
The Artist: Pnina Reichman
The Work: Refusal From A to Z (2014)
Info: 26 small stretched canvas prints of Gustave Courbet’s “The Origin of the World” (1866) each stamped with a different word or phrase.
A Tribute To: Joanna “Jo” Hiffernan, who was most likely the faceless model for Courbet’s painting. Chosen to represent all the nameless women whose only position in the history of art was as objects of desire.
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Almost wherever you would expect to find a light switch, there you would find one of these small statements of female liberty. I must say, I was very impressed. I’m not sure such images would be so easily displayed in the UK or the US, but here they are in Israel, in the Middle East. I am an enthusiastic supporter of the quest for humans to reclaim their bodies and to have autonomy over them.
We watched a video diary of self-harm …
The Artist: Noa Sadka
The Work: An option for body, text, biographical diary and reflexivity as I’ve found there, in the work of 15 American artists
I didn’t mean it to be expressive (1998)
Info: DVD – 31 Minutes
A Tribute To: 15 female American artists from the 60’s and 70’s, who have interested, influenced and impressed her in the course of her artistic career.
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I could see a look of bemusement on my husband’s face as we wandered through the exhibits. When I quizzed him about it he said that his overall impression was one of insanity and he was obviously quite disturbed.
I mused over the word ‘insanity’ for a while and started thinking about what drives women to such despair. How in this modern world we consider ourselves so evolved and yet still women are abused & enslaved world wide. Of course it’s not just women that are suffering, but they represent a whole sub-order of human life that is feared & hated at a very primitive level. Their very bodies, from which they cannot escape, are used against them in myriad ways. Self -abuse, then, could possibly be one way in which women may try to reclaim their bodies, prostitution could be another.
The following work is a statement about violence against women …
Artist: Hannan Abu Hussein
Work: Resin (2014)
Info: 288 concrete-cast hanging knives
A Tribute To: Nawal El Saadawi, an Egyptian writer and political activist, who campaigns against honour killings and the practice of female circumcision.
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There was also a lot of more traditional art forms.
This one looks at those women who for religious reasons must bathe fully clothed …
Artist: Orli Mivrag
Work: Untitled (2013)
Info: Oil on canvas
A Tribute To: Hendrickje Stoffels, a long-term companion of Rembrandt’s and the model for his, “A Woman Bathing in a Stream”.
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This one celebrates females, real and imaginary, from different cultures …
Artist: Jenifer Bar Lev
Work: Alien Kiss 6, Peter-Wendy (2012)
Info: Acrylic on canvas
A Tribute To: Women of the world
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… as well as this rather interesting deviation from the ‘norm’ …
This video has a complete lack of movement, other than the occasional shuffling of the horse.
It is a strangely hypnotic piece.
Artist: Hila Ben Ari
Work: The Mute (2014)
Info: Video – 3:12 minute loop
A Tribute To: Amalia Kahana-Carmon, an author, who’s stories are concerned with the emotional, economic and physical vulnerability of women.
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It was a very interesting experience, and I enjoyed my visit immensely.
I left with many FAQ’s, about art, freshly stirring in my mind.
One of them will be the subject of next month’s post.
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For this month’s contributor’s …
What did you think of the “Chicago Triangle” project?
What do you think of the concept of feminist art?
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Do you have something to share this month?
Your post can be anything from an image of your favourite work of art
to a full scale essay of your opinions. The choice is yours.
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Include “ARTZINE” in your title and tags so that other readers can find it
and link back to this post to be included here.
And remember it’s all for fun, you don’t need to be an artist or an expert, you just need to turn up to take part.
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Next Month on “ARTZINE” …
Sunday, July 6th – What is Art Anyway?
Take a look at what’s happening in the art world this year …
Khana's Web 
I think it’s brilliant, and I wish I could visit there and see it all; I love Israel’s ability to show the truth as it is; and yes it would affect me strongly to see it, but I applaud it…… and I’m sat here another one typing with cut arms.
I’m looking forward to your future posts 🙂
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Thanks for your interest Phoenix, I’m sure you would enjoy the museum. It portrays women in many ways both positive & negative.
I hope your cut arms are a thing of the past, you seem so positive now I assume your troubles are over, although life is never without a few bumps here & there.
I’m moving on to your contribution now because it was very special for me in several ways & I want to explain why 🙂
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Here’s my women in music for healing contribution 🙂
http://witheaglesfloat.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/woman/
are we to do one or ok for more per month?
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Hi Phoenix welcome to Artzine.
This is my first monthly post & you are my very first contributor, so I am very grateful to you for getting the ball rolling.
You made your post on the Solstice & we were celebrating, so I am sorry it’s taken me a couple of days to respond.
When I followed the link in your post it took me not just to ‘YouTube’, but also back in time to one of the most intense experiences of my life.
I met my first husband when I was 13, we were together for 17 years & had 3 wonderful children.
It’s hard to explain in a comment but after about 15 years of marriage & much spiritual searching we realized that we were going in different directions.
I experienced many different emotional states, as did he. At times I was very calm & at others I was somewhat desperate.
My husband was a musician & was spending a lot of time touring, so I had a lot of time to myself.
I decided to focus on my spiritual development & my work resulted in a huge change of consciousness & a totally different life.
Many of my friends brought me books & music around this time & I found all of their gifts extraordinarily relevant & helpful.
One of the albums I was given was a collection of songs to the Goddess & it was a great help in lifting my spirits.
Unfortunately I lost it along the way & as I had no idea who the singer was I never managed to get another copy.
My favourite song on that album was “Song to Inanna” & I heard it today for the first time in many, many years.
I have a great love for Inanna who is not just our most ancient Goddess, but actually the first named deity known to have been worshiped by mankind.
Thank you Phoenix for bringing Tears to my eyes when I least expected it & reminding me of how I was Healed.
With much love, Khana 🙂
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thankyou so much for sharing some of your story with me;
I had lots of religious conflict within me, but Goddess songs are healing me too now; I even listen to them on my headphones when I’m out, the music soaks into the deeper levels, sets aright the imbalances, and heals the wounds; our story details are individual to each of us, and at the same time as women we all have the one story, the Goddess story 🙂
Putting aside the back story of the people and philosophy in where this link takes us (which I came across via another’s blog) does this resonate with you –
http://www.wingmakers.us/wingmakersorig/www.wingmakers.com/arrow/chambers/poetry/poem6.shtml
the words of the poetry on that page are woman speaking aren’t they.
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I think they are, yes. What a wonderful site full of beauty. I shall have to spend some time exploring it & reading all the wonderful poetry.
Thanks for the link Phoenix 🙂
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I’ve just realised, another lady yesterday did the same for me, she posted a piece of music which fit for me in the closing of my old journey –
it’s the Goddess working through all of us to help eachother 🙂
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It’s wonderful isn’t it 🙂
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It made me cry too 🙂
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Because what you are trying to do here, is truly inspiring; please accept http://afterthephoenix.wordpress.com/to-phoenix/ but please alter the rules for what works for you; spirit not the letter yes 🙂
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I assume you mean “The Very Inspiring Blogger Award”. Thank you so very much, I’d be delighted to accept & I’m truly touched that you would consider me for it.
One very important question is … When I post my acceptance blurb, which blog do you prefer that I link to?
I’ve just realized that you have several. I can even link to them all if you like. Just let me know what’s best for you.
Thanks again Phoenix, I find these awards are a wonderful way for us all to find new blogs to follow 🙂
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I like the idea of awards, but I know that some don’t, so I always say spirit rather than letter of the ‘rules’; so you don’t have to link to me or anything; I just wanted you to know that I think you’re doing a good thing with Artzine 🙂
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I like to do a full post for awards, & to thank & link to the person who nominated me. I see the awards as a great way to bring bloggers together.
So unless you actually object I will link to your blogs so that my readers can visit you from the post.
I’m not sure I will nominate 15 blogs immediately, I’m a bit slow (& lazy lol), but I’ll do a few & maybe add more later on.
I have been known to take an extraordinarily long time to post awards, so it might take a while lol.
I love re-writing rules, so I’ll probably make some changes too.
Thank you again for thinking of me, I really appreciate it 🙂
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no 🙂 I don’t object at all; I just like to give folks the freedom to interpret award ‘rules’; because i have come across the odd blogger in the past who gets mightily sniffy at the mere thought of even being offered one lol can you believe it 😀
all is well, you just do it whatever ways best for you, all is good 🙂
and I’m looking forward to reading next month’s art project very much.
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Hi Phoenix, sorry it takes me so long to reply sometimes, I get caught up in so many things lol.
I know what you mean about sniffy bloggers. It’s a shame, but I guess you get all sorts everywhere.
I find responding to awards that require lots of nominations can be a bit taxing, & personally I feel 5 is more than enough.
After that I just start picking randomly & it’s not so meaningful anymore, I love answering the questions though.
I’ve also found many of my favourite blogs via the awards, so I think they’re great.
Artzine is out if you want to take a look, hope you like it,
Khana 🙂
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yes I agree, so I will go edit the post to read ‘whatever number of bloggers you wish’ (and, in whatever way works for you) it makes more sense 🙂 …… in fact I’m going to edit all of the rules lol.
Great; glad next Artzine is with us; I will be over in a little while; you don’t ever have to apologize, all is ok 🙂
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Great 🙂
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Thank you so much for posting to Artzine. It is a very new feature & is taking a while to get off the ground. You are now my second contributor, my first being another blogger called PhoenixTearsHealed, maybe you have come across her blog. She writes a lot of wonderful poetry. You can find her contributions in the comments of the posts.
Thank you for sharing such amazing music, I just listened to it with my husband. It sounds kind of Persian, Sufi, Dervish or something like that. Do you know what it is?
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https://www.youtube.com/user/tovishatiandras I think he is Magyar. I found his flute music when I was hunting for musical tributes to Hannahannah the Matriarch of all Matriarchs … even the name is proto- language ….. His is the only one I found anywhere. He posts in Hungarian, I use Google Translate. I have this piece in my side-bar. she is the Mother of All. The Mother of Beninning the Mother Before The Word.
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It’s amazing that you posted another piece related to the mother goddess. She has been making a lot of appearances in my life recently and I was delighted when Phoenix posted a song to Inanna that I hadn’t heard for years.
I’ve been reading translations of inscriptions found on many Sumerian artefacts recently and they are so beautiful and interesting.
Hannahannah is a goddess whose tales I have only a vague knowledge of, but I will take a closer look very soon, especially as my name here in Israel is pronounced Hannah, the ‘K’ giving it a harsh guttural sound. Thank you, also, for introducing me to the music of Andras Tovishati. It is wonderful and I will certainly be listening to more .
I fly to the UK tomorrow and will be very busy for the next 3 weeks but I will endeavour to post August’s Artzine.
Thank you again for your interest and contributions,
Khana 🙂
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