This is one of my most puzzling paintings. What's the story behind it?
I asked people about the story of this painting; some thought it was about emotional eating, eating disorders, or a person getting up at night to look for a snack in the fridge. Others thought it depicted opening a plane door before a jump or a girl looking out of a window. It's actually my interpretation of a quote from a court ruling.
I love it when others interpret my paintings. After an artist finishes painting a piece, the intended message becomes less significant. Well, it certainly still matters, but once a painting is presented to thousands of eyes, the minds and emotions behind those eyes can interpret it differently. I start painting based on my perceptions, ideas, and beliefs, and as important as they are, the greater meaning exists in the stage beyond my control - when the painting is out there and absorbing interpretations from others who view it.
Initially, it was a bit hard for me to accept this, but over time I realized it's part of the beauty of my painting process. Once an art piece is ready, my role as the painter and creator technically ends, but now my artwork invites others to infuse it with their inner worlds, enriching it, and in a sense - continuing to create it. And if you ask me, there's something almost spiritual about it. A silent dialogue formed between the viewer and myself, a special connection without ever having met.
I got carried away into a philosophy lesson, let’s go back to the painting!
Social Art - It's Reality
The truth is, I don't have many paintings with a social statement, since most of them come from my inner world and how I explore the reality around me. However, I grew up with social awareness all my life; my mother worked in the welfare department of the development town where I grew up, and in my adulthood, I worked on a project accompanying families in the welfare department in the city where I currently live.
During that period, I met families on a daily basis - many more than I imagined - struggling to exist with minimal dignity in the face of the high cost of living. These encounters exposed me to new facets of reality, ones I didn't know existed right under my nose. I had no idea how much it would affect me, making me appreciate the food I eat, the clothes I wear, and of course; not the tax payments.
A Bit of Bureaucracy and Law (But Just a Bit)
In 2022, one of the most significant social changes in recent years was established in Israel. A groundbreaking court ruling determined that families should not be disconnected from electricity if they haven't paid taxes. Before rushing to do so, the electric company must thoroughly examine each case individually in the event of non-payment and not perform an automatic disconnection.
The values I grew up with didn't allow me to ignore this important step, and so I found myself looking for the court ruling, reading extensive parts of it, and drawing inspiration from it. A quote by Judge Daphna Barak caught my eye, comparing the flow of electricity to the primordial light:
"Let there be light," thus begins the story of creation in the Book of Genesis. Indeed, it is hard to imagine life without light. More broadly, it is hard to imagine managing daily life without electricity, which is a basic requirement for lighting and the operation of essential devices used daily, such as a refrigerator."
From Exposure to Painting: How Do I Bring an Idea to Canvas?
The quote connects the great primordial light - a miracle that contributes to the existence of life and vegetation on Earth, with household electricity, which has become an integral part and a basic human need. The judge presents electricity as equivalent to light, implying that no one has the power to disconnect it, nor the flow of life from any family in Israel without seeing the person behind the numbers. This is an amazing step, in my view, towards a more inclusive and less excluding society for underprivileged families.
When I read the court ruling, an image of an entire universe inside a fridge came to mind. How easy it is for us to take our fridge for granted. It's obvious that when we open it, all the delicacies we love will be waiting there, but there are other families among us. Families for whom this is their reality, where a full fridge truly is a whole universe filled with excitement. How can we judge someone whose excited by a full fridge when there are such gaps in reality?
I imagined a girl. Perhaps she mostly lives on simple rice, not even fresh vegetables, nor a sweet chocolate dessert. And now, even the light is out. The fridge is empty and dark and has nothing to offer. If only there was another way to look at things, the light would keep shining. Maybe this month, her family could even afford to fill the fridge a bit more. To light up the faces of the family members with opportunities - wonderful delicacies, nutritional values, energy and life.
Yes, even in "boring" things like court rulings, you can find inspiration for wonderful and optimistic creations.
Want to see more of my paintings? I'm currently exhibiting in 3 exhibitions:
1. "Alchemy" - Lotan Gallery, Jaffa. June 28 to July 18, 2024
2. "Representatives of Light" - Nocturno, Jerusalem. July - August 2024
3. Abstract Painting Exhibition – C Hotel, Neve Ilan. July - August 2024
I invite you to come and observe the paintings in those exhibitions, interpret, and feel. To think in a new light about the artworks you have been exposed to until today and didn't understand. Which one interests you the most?
Wishing us nothing but good news, and such essential court rulings in the future.
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