pashkevilim
Public Space Artwork
2020
A series of 12 graphic works - street postersPaper, print, varying sizes.
The works are based on texts that are a collection of quotes from the canonical speech of the Masada commander to those besieged with him.*As the Romans intensified their siege, nearly overtaking Masada, the commander attempted to persuade and entice the hundreds of besieged individuals to choose death rather than fall into Roman captivity. The word "death" appears in the speech close to 30 times The text was slightly modified to fit contemporary language but mostly remains faithful to the original.The posters were designed by Noy Haimovich, in the style of street posters from the ultra-Orthodox world, like pashkevilim. This created a style that merges the inflammatory drama from 2000 years ago with the panic-creating methods of rabbis in the extreme religious sector today.The work was planned as a public intervention with a group of artists and was supposed to be displayed in a supermarket in south Tel Aviv. Despite the cooperation and interest from the owner, after all the works were already hung throughout the supermarket, panic and harsh reactions were created, and the works were taken down by the owners.At the last moment and as a temporary solution, the work was hung around the neighborhood, in the streets adjacent to the supermarket.
Speeches that changed the world Rozalind Stone, Sally Simons’ UK by Quercus Publishing Ltd.