Contemporary Ceramics at the Benyamini Center

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In the foreground, a box by Claude Champy/Photo: Yulia Tsukerman

Whose Earth is it Anyway? – the opening exhibit at the new Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics Center will be open through August 27, 2011. Art offers us an opportunity to engage with our environment from a different perspective, and within the contemporary artistic discourse, one might do well to listen to ceramic artists.

Detail from Hagar Ben Meir's work 400 Grams/Photo: Yulia Tsukerman

Balanced between craft and art, precision and inspiration, ceramicists develop a dialogue with their materials, one that is emphasized in this exhibit. The encounter with the earth is not from a perspective of ownership or control, but rather curiosity, respect and discovery. Approaching the material with questions, the possibilities are endless.

A meeting of minds: a view of works by Hagar Ben Meir (partial), Micha Ullman and Claudi Casanovas/Photo: Yulia Tsukerman

The current exhibit, curated by Eran Ehrlich, features Israeli and international ceramicists, both well known and emerging artists, and reflects the diversity of contemporary ceramics. The participating artists are: Yoav Admoni, Micha Ulman, Tsipi Itai, Pina Bausch, Ruth Bigger, Tamara Ben-Artzi, Hagar Ben-Meir, Ester Beck, Maya Salomon, Cluadi Casanovas, Gilad Ratman, Shelly Shavit, Claude Champy, and Yigal Tomarkin.

In addition to the gallery space, the Benyamini Center offers classes and workshops for adults and children, at all levels – from free-form Saturday workshops to advanced classes for ceramicists. Just as inviting is the well-stocked reference library where one can easily spend hours reading in comfort.

Photo: Yulia Tsukerman

Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics Center, 17 Ha’amal Street, Tel Aviv, opening hours: Sunday 10:00 – 13:00 (the gallery is closed, but the center is open), Monday – Thursday from 11:00 – 19:00, Friday & Saturday from 11:00 – 14:00. For additional information, call: 03-5182257.