Beit Binyamini, May 2017 Curator: Irena Gordon
Topsy-turvy is an English expression describing a state of complete disorder and confusion, of chaos and upheaval, of a world turned upside down. An object, sculpture or installation may express such a state of chaos and upheaval, presenting a world turned upside down in its material, formal and functional dimensions, as well as in its social, cultural and political contexts. It is a world that shifts between the humorous and the cynical, the surreal and the realistic, the carnivalesque and the revolutionary, the grotesque and the tragic. The works push the boundaries of the medium, inviting a renewed examination of it while simultaneously proposing a form of confrontational ceramics that responds to the reality in which it is created.
(From the exhibition’s open call)
As part of the exhibition, I present a series of three sculptures titled Messiah Ex Machina.
The growing presence of the invincible savior figure in popular culture – the outsider savior who does not belong to the place – is striking. He alone possesses the power to solve our problems and save us from ourselves. This reflects our longing for miraculous salvation and our belief in a happy ending.
The donkey and the messiah can be understood as two complementary elements, each completing the other. The donkey – the material, earthly aspect – serves as a vehicle for the realization of the messiah’s destiny. The donkey also represents the simplicity and humility associated with wisdom.
In the traditional image of the messiah appearing on a donkey, the donkey is a humble figure, while the messiah is mounted upon it as a rider. Yet the messiah’s arrival on the donkey’s back also serves to symbolize the connection between the messiah and the people, and his detachment from the grandeur and ostentation of the ruling establishment.
The motivation behind the movement is intriguing: who carries whom? Who pulls whom? Who directs whom? Is the messiah detached from his purpose, while the donkey is the one carrying him there? And if the donkey is the one who chooses the destination, where are they headed? Perhaps the donkey is not as foolish as we think. Perhaps the messiah is not so wise after all. Is the donkey trying to advance and move forward, or is it simply stubborn and unwilling to budge, while the messiah struggles to hold on?
Perhaps these are situations that give rise to misunderstandings: neither knows where they are headed, and somewhere along the way they become disconnected from reality, each unaware of what is actually happening to the other.
Messiah Ex Machina
Stoneware and Oxides
