Yifat Bezalel, Untitled 2021, pencil on black gesso on paper, 75×105 cm
Daniel Tchetchik, Dark Waters 2019 Black & White negative printed on fine art paper, 75x105cm ed 1/3
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Yifat Bezalel and Daniel Tchetchik
Opening October 28th
Mirav Katri
⎢Alfassi 20
Mirav Katri is proud to present “Shipless Ocean”, a joint exhibition of works by Yifat Bezalel and Daniel Tchetchik. The exhibition showcases the artists’ recent works in an intimate space where seemingly unrelated works paint a common poetic song. It is rare to show drawing and photography together. When Yifat Bezalel and Daniel Tchetchik decided to work on this exhibition, it felt completely natural, both aesthetically and narratively, almost essential, being both renowned artists in their own fields and hyper sensitive human beings. The idea came after a long period of creative introspection. Both artists delved into their past works and revisited their esthetic references in a new light or rather a new darkness.
Daniel Tchetchik, Edge 2020 black & white negative printed on fine art paper, 95x75cm ed 1/3
Yifat Bezalel, Untitled 2021, pencil on black gesso on paper, 75×105 cm
The works presented, despite being strikingly different in technique, subject and style, convey a common feeling of sadness and eerie solitude. On closer look, however, more similarities become apparent. Bezalel explores the point of contact between life and death, between matter and spirit, between suffering and ecstasy through the iconography of Bernini’s excellent sculptures of Ludovica Albertoni and Saint Teresa in a state of transverberation, moments before their death. Bernini immortalised Ludovica Albertoni’s agonal breath lying on the precipice of her earthly life, her hand clutching her failing heart, her lips parted.
Yet, her features radiate a sort of transcendental euphoria, an overwhelming joy and ecstasy. Ludovica, after a lifetime devotion to Christian charity, is about to reunite with her Creator. Similarly, the Transverberation of Saint Teresa, another of Bezalel’s recurring Bernini references, touches on that point of contact between earth and heaven, that point of true solitude.
Daniel Tchetchik, Closer to Know Where 2021, black and white negative printed on fine art paper, 70x70cm, ed 1/3
Yifat Bezalel, Untitled 2021, pencil on black gesso on paper, 90×127 cm
Daniel Tchetchik, Dark Waters 2019 Black & White negative printed on fine art paper, 75x105cm, ed1/3
Tchetchik’s compositions deal with a similar line of contact or lack thereof: the dust road between the burnt and the spared forest, the distance between the shepherd’s dog and its herd, the window frame that separates us from the exterior, the gap between two eroded rocks. Both artists explore with their own words, the limits between two states of being, the rift that so often defines the irreconcilability between two people and the loneliness that ensues, as if loneliness were inevitable. Building upon his recent series commissioned by the International Red Cross entitled, “Dark Waters”, Tchetchik captures the scenes where unfathomable human tragedy took , and continues, to take place. As if documenting the scene of a crime after it happened, it still resonates with the victim’s screams. Nature’s beauty, however, takes over, unaware, almost indifferent. Reminiscent of Albert Camus’s “L’Etranger”, it is this distance which Tchetchik captures, the apathy we all experience when facing human tragedy, leaving us desperately lonely.
Both artists explore with their own words the limits between two states of being, the rift that so often defines the irreconcilability between two people, and the loneliness that ensues as if loneliness were inevitable.
Daniel Tchetchik, The Day After 2021 C -print 97×130, ed 1/3
About the artists
Yifat Bezalel
is trained as a classical and academic artist, and over the years she has established her unique technique. In her work process she superimposes semi transparent pencil layers of figurative and realistic images creating surreal realms. Her works have often been described as having an ethereal quality to them.
“Tehila” 2017 was Bezalel’s most recent solo exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum, she has also exhibited at the “Personal Structures” project during the 2013 Venice Biennale, at the Tate Liverpool, the Rovereto Contemporary Museum, the Hamburg Kunsthalle, the MACRO Roma, the Vida Museum in Sweden, the 2019 Drawing Biennial at the London Drawing Room and at Purdy Hicks Gallery in London. Her works have been shown at various art fairs, ArtGeneve, Drawing Now Paris and The Others art fair Turin.
Bezalel took part in the “Tracy Emin charity postcard sale” at DB London 2018 Frieze art fair;she was awarded the Rappaport prize for young Israeli artist in 2016, the Culture and Sport Minister award in 2014. Bezalel’s works can be found at the V&A collection, the Deutsche Bank collection, TAMA museum, Hauser & Wirth private collection, the Art Partners Fund NY and several important private collections.
Bezalel graduated from the Bezalel academy of art and design where she currently teaches at the art department, she lives and works in Tel Aviv.
Daniel Tchetchik
is a staff photographer and the chief editor of the photography blog at Haaretz Newspaper. He has displayed his personal works in leading museums and galleries in Israel as well as on international stages in NYC, Kassel, San Francisco, Sweden, Berlin, Hamburg, and India.
The works are part of the collections of The Museum of Tel Aviv, The Museum of Ramat Gan, The Peter Blum Gallery, The Umm El Fahem Gallery, Museum for Sepulkralkultur, The Marc Rich Foundation, The French Institute as well as several private collections.
Tchetchik divides his time between personal projects and documentary assignments, many times each approach provides inspiration for the other. Editorial work has appeared on platforms of the The Financial Times, The Süddeutsche Zeitung, The New Yorker, Frankfurter Allgemeine, Haaretz Newspaper and more. His series “Divided Moment” is on permanent display at Hotel Montefiore in Tel-Aviv.
Through his practice, photography, Tchetchik investigates his natural surroundings. It is a search for visual descriptions and reflections of a contemporary emotion in the landscape and people. His works are displayed both as a photographic series as well as published in artist books, the different platforms present the fascinating possibility of changing narratives with the same photographs.
Tchetchik works with film that often has been exposed to radiation and kept in harmful conditions in order to uncover features of both the photographic matter itself and the subjects in the works.
©2021 Mirav Katri, Tel Aviv, IL. All rights reserved