This exhibition was a first of its kind for GINA Gallery and it was a result of a collaboration between the gallery and the Ceramic and Glass Department of Bezalel Academy of Art and Design.
As part of the “large pottery” course led by Ms. Jacaranda Kori, the students were required to visit GINA Gallery and to choose a painting that piqued their interest, and then to create a ceramic response to it.
The first encounter with the gallery was held in Bezalel Academy, where the gallery Artistic Director, Ms. Ma’ayan Israeli, gave a lecture about the definition and features of Naïve Art. This lecture was an extremely important event for the gallery, as the naïve genre is known for being practiced outside of the Art Establishment, and is un-academic by definition. Presenting it to an audience in the midst of its academic studies is unprecedented and emphasizes the tension created by the meeting of the self-thought naives, who are free from all limitations of “correct painting”, and the students who spend years thoroughly studying all facets of art.
The second encounter of the students with naïve art took place at GINA Gallery. During their visit, they got the opportunity to meet the gallery’s owner, Mr. Dan Chill, and to learn about his personal collection and his personal relationships with the artists chosen to be a part of the gallery’s collection. During this visit, each student chose a painting that was a source of attraction and inspiration to them. After that decision, each one of them received a photocopy of the painting so as to be able to get to know it better and get back to it whenever necessary.
Throughout the semester, each student interpreted the artwork chosen in light of her/his own personal style and understanding. The students learned the artist’s signature language, the way the paint was applied, compositions were formed and colors were used. The students learned how to approach another artist’s artwork and to borrow elements from it while providing their own unique meaning. They learned how to transfer a two-dimensional artwork into three dimensions, and how the total freedom of naïve art can work harmoniously with the discipline and knowledge that a ceramic work requires. Another benefit the students gained through this experience, is learning how a gallery operates, and how an exhibition is born. We hope that this will help them in their future career as professional artists.
We believe that the juxtaposition of the paintings and the ceramics, the self-thought and academic, as well as the freshness of the students that were at the start of their career and the experienced artists, have created an artistic event that was not only exciting and pleasing visually, but was also an educational, fascinating and intriguing event.
