Gordon gallery to open new space in the heart of jerusalem’s industrial center with solo exhibitions by israeli artists ofer lellouche and aviva uri
Salty Architects Spearheads the Transformation of a Neglected Workshop Into a Progressive Art Gallery in the Midst of Jerusalem’s Religious Art Scene
Gordon Gallery, one of Tel Aviv’s most distinguished and longstanding art institutions, will open a new and highly anticipated exhibition space in Jerusalem on December 22, 2021. The inauguration of the space will feature two solo exhibitions by Israeli art luminaries, including Ofer Lellouche’s "Recent Works” and a mini-retrospective by Aviva Uri, entitled "Death in God's Realm.”
An area reminiscent of Tel Aviv's Kiryat Hamelacha, the Gordon Gallery space is located in Jerusalem’s Sapir Center industrial area, in the city's southwest, which has long been a pilgrimage site for art lovers. The area is home to large industrial buildings, mainly serving the housing light industry, but also several artist studios, Yeshivas (a Jewish educational institution), as well as Bezalel Academy of Art and Design's ultra-Orthodox branch, Oman, located next door to the new gallery.
Gordon Gallery Director Amon Yariv commissioned Salty Architects to spearhead the renovation of the industrial space and thus transform it into a progressive art gallery in the midst of Jerusalem’s religious art scene. The industrial façade has been removed and replaced by large windows, which open the gallery's interior to the outside, bringing the unique, rugged, industrial ambience into the space. The space itself is ensnared with a glass entrance that is accessible and purely transparent. It has no threshold areas that visitors are not allowed to enter, including a library and archive, much like the large and inviting Tel Aviv venue.
According to architects Motti Rauchwerger and Hadar Menkes of Salty Architects, "the challenge was to set the space apart from its surroundings without being ostentatious. Inside the gallery, we designed a circular space, and it is important that one can keep moving in the space and be surprised. One of the surprises was the natural light in this industrial area. Once we opened the façade, we realized that wonderful natural light permeates the space."
The new space will be launched in tandem with two solo exhibitions, presenting works by Israeli artists Ofer Lellouche and Aviva Uri, and will precede upcoming solo exhibitions for the gallery's artists. Lellouche's exhibition, "Recent Works," is centered on a monumental bronze sculpture, The Hug, whose wooden-earthen tones blend perfectly with the industrial buildings revealed through the transparent gallery façade. In addition to the sculpture, Lellouche will present nine small reliefs depicting the work process on the sculpture from different angles.
The exhibition "Death in God's Realm" will feature ten of the deceased Israeli artist Aviva Uri's iconic works, dating from the 1960’s until her death in 1984. Considered by many the Great Mother of Israeli art, Uri's paintings have outlined a mental, spiritual, and metaphysical position for generations of male and female artists. “We are thrilled to usher in the next era of Gordon Gallery and further progress the dialogue between secular Israeli art and the religious connotation of Jerusalem, says Amon Yariv, Director, Gordon Gallery. “The dichotomy of the new space and solo shows by two innovative painters to attract art seekers to explore Israeli art from a new perspective.”
