Abyss of Bliss
"When the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates was signed, I was very excited about the world of opportunities that opened up for the two nations. I didn't imagine that in a few months I would present my photographs in a gallery in Dubai "
Yinon Gal-On, photographer and artist
Abyss of Bliss" reunites three artists who share a completely different relation with the concept of water.
In Hebrew, the expression used to describe someone who is Holding his breath, is the same expression as Breathtaking - “Otzer Neshima”.
Yinon Gal-On, a young Israeli photographer, is investigating the space between Physical presence and the Metaphysical, between the Breath (“Neshima”) and the Soul (“Neshama”). Under water Gal-On is trying to capture with his camera the deepest thoughts, memories, pain and pleasure, which exist beyond the visual or the tangible. Notions and emotions which take your breath away, before they form into words.
Yinon presents 14 works in the exhibition, most of them range betweenthe physical and the spiritual and the range from realistic to surreal. In the current exhibition the artist seeks to submerge the viewer in happiness, an invitation to dive into an Abyss of bliss.
Ariela Wertheimer will present 3 works from her "Jaffa port surface, 2017" series that combine layers of printed photography on canvas, painting and a razor that fixes them. The ropes symbolize burden and power. They carry memories and places among them: their form of upgrading indicates resilience and retention, friendship, connection and rescue. Their appearance is reminiscent of the basic appearance of humanity – the DNA.
In those works, she is inspired by the recovery process of fishing boats at a shipping yard in Jaffa, a Jewish-Arabic city in Israel. It seems like it reflects her Self-healing.
Keren Shpilsher will present her rich artistic language in 3 paintings she drew especially for the exhibition in Dubai. Shpilsher's artistic language incorporates comics, art history, Judaica, consumer culture and pop, current affairs, social injustices and folklore. She has a unique and recognizable fingerprint. Her paintings are fascinating, the colors are joyful and the viewer is exposed to more and more details and messages.
Three Israeli artists, three different worlds of creativity and depth, are excited to reveal their works in this exhibition.
As part of giving, Oblong Gallery will be donating 10% of the artwork sales to Emirates Red Crescent which is the United Arab Emirates affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support women and children that are less fortunate, those affected and the people caring for those affected.
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Yinon Gal-On, Flexible Thinking in a Flexible Body, 2020€ 8,500.00
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Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery to Showcase Region’s First-ever exhibition of three Israeli artist titled ‘Abyss of Bliss.’
Yinon Gal-On, Ariela Wertheimer and Keren Shpilsher will debut their bespoke artworks at the Dubai exhibition.
In a bid to enrich Dubai’s burgeoning art scene ahead of Art Dubai, and for the first time in the region, three renowned Israeli artists will display their work for art enthusiasts in the UAE. The exhibition titled, “Abyss of Bliss” will be held at the Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery from 25th March to 20th May 2021 and will feature Yinon Gal-On, Areila Wertheimer and Keren Shpilsher each distinctive in their medium of art.
“Art and culture knows no boundaries and Dubai has always been the at the forefront of supporting creative and cultural enterprises through community building and artistic exchange. We are very pleased to bring this unprecedented exhibition with three renowned and established Israeli artists for the first time in the history of the Middle East art world to Dubai. The art scene in the region generally has been witnessing growth and Dubai has a vibrant arts scene, showcasing various exhibitions and is home to the most internally diverse fairs in the world.” said Ms. Paola Marucci & Ms. Emanuela Venturini - Co-founders of Oblong Gallery.
In Hebrew, the expression used to describe someone who is Holding his breath, is the same expression as Breathtaking - “Otzer Neshima”. Yinon Gal-On, a young 18-year-old Israeli photographer, is exploring the space between Physical presence and the Metaphysical, between the Breath (“Neshima”) and the Soul (“Neshama”). Underwater, Gal-On is trying to capture with his camera the deepest thoughts, memories, pain and pleasure, which exist beyond the visual or the tangible. Notions and emotions which take breath away, before they form into words.
Gal-On believes the process of art making is similar to the process of healing. His work is rooted in his own search for self-discovery, since his first underwater photographs were taken as early as at the age of seven, it has ever since evolved to create his best work to be seen yet.
Gal-On is set to present 14 of his artworks in the exhibition, ranging from physical to spiritual, realistic to surreal and he seeks to immerse visitors in happiness, an invitation to dive into an Abyss of bliss.
The exhibition will also host Ariela Wertheimer, a multidisciplinary artist who previously showcased at Venice Biennale in 2019. She will be showcasing 3 works from her "Jaffa Port Surface, 2017" series that combine layers of printed photography on canvas, painting and a razor that fixes them. The ropes symbolize burden and power, they carry memories and places and represent resilience and retention, friendship, connection and rescue. They underline the different layers of humanity. Stimulated by her self-healing, Wertheimer is inspired by the recovery process of fishing boats at a shipping yard in Jaffa, a Jewish-Arabic city in Israel.
Keren Shpilsher, a visual artist who has developed a unique artistic language, which combines comics, modern and historic art, Judaica, consumerism, current event and folklore will showcase 3 unique paintings specifically created for the Abyss of Bliss exhibition. Shpilsher’s work offers a glimpse into the way she views the world, full of color and joy.
As part of giving, Oblong Gallery will be donating 10% of the artwork sales to Emirates Red Crescent which is the United Arab Emirates affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support women and children that are less fortunate, those affected and the people caring for those affected.
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About Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery
Oblong is a Dubai based Art Gallery and its mission is to create a successful global arena for culture and art. Primarily involved in promoting contemporary and modern art, operating both locally and on the international art platform; the gallery is a place of cultural exchange, exhibiting some of the highest quality artworks and giving a platform to artists from the region. Additionally, Oblong hosts a strong program of workshops, educational initiatives and a cross-cultural art exchange program between Dubai, U.A.E and Pietrasanta, on the coast of northern Tuscany in Italy. The gallery name was derived from the ‘oblong’ shape, which comes from three other shapes; a square, a circle and a rectangle. The founders of Oblong, Emanuela Venturini & Paola Marucci described the shape as a representation of their different backgrounds and characters. Emanuela and Paola have a shared vision and combined their love for art and culture to create a platform for cross-cultural exchange between Dubai (UAE) and Pietrasanta (Italy). With strong links to the Tuscan city of Pietrasanta, Oblong embodies the DNA of this historic city and honors its rich heritage.
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