Israeli artists show love for Gansu at exhibition

Last week, three Israeli artists each exhibited works portraying China's northwestern Gansu province at the China Cultural Center in Tel Aviv.

The exhibition, titled This Magical Thread, displayed some of the paintings, photography and sculptures resulting from the trio's two-week visit to the province.

"The works in the exhibition try to capture moments and impressions from that unforgettable journey and reflect the artistic style of each artist," says Iris Mendel, curator of the exhibition, who traveled to Gansu with the three artists in July.

According to Mendel, it was the first visit to China for all of them and it was a unique and unforgettable journey. She adds that they really hope to visit the province again.

Starting the journey in Lanzhou, capital city of Gansu, they headed north to Zhangye and Dunhuang, visiting temples, sections of the ancient Silk Road and the Great Wall of China, as well as art centers covering work both ancient and contemporary, Mendel recalls.

Gabriella Klein displayed a massive Chinese ink painting-3 meters high and more than 5 meters wide-consisting of five sheets of paper and resembling the Chinese scrolls.

Klein painted reclining Buddha statues, half-awake and half-asleep, in particular the statues she saw in Zhangye, a city in Gansu.

Lea Avital presented a hanging sculpture that combines a two-dimensional drawing and a three dimensional object. The drawing is created using brush strokes similar to those of a calligraphy painting.

This artwork presents the juxtapositions of old and new, manual and industrial, tradition and the feeling of renewal, says Avital.

Photos displayed in the exhibition that were taken by Israeli photographer Gustavo Sagorsky focus mainly on Chinese people of different ages, roles and identities whom he encountered during the journey.

Sagorsky says he expects to visit Gansu again and has the dream of publishing a photograph album reflecting the diverse society of Gansu.

The journey was organized by the China Cultural Center in Tel Aviv and the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.