Category: Arts & Literature

Arts & Literature, Tel Aviv Living

Controversial new Tel Aviv statue does not portray a dude showing off his junk

800px-pikiwiki_israel_35612_noah_by_evie_pollig_in_tel_aviv(Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

By Aaron Pomerantz

Last Updated 3/13/2017 at 6:50 PM

Tel Aviv, Kikar Dizengoff: A work of modern art planned for display in the soon to be renovated Dizengoff Square is meeting heavy opposition from concerned members of the Community. The  statue, designed by Neve Tzedek artist Yair G. and titled “Tel Aviv Epiphany”, does not portray a man eagerly displaying his genitals to passerby. And Tel Aviv residents are not too happy. The Daily Freier walked down to Dizengoff Square where an impromptu protest was taking place.

“I don’t know how they do things down in Neve Tzedek” admonished Tomer C., a resident of Bograshov. “But up here in Tel Aviv, we expect our statues to be touching themselves. Or rummaging around down there as if their lease paperwork is hidden somewhere in their boxers shorts.”

As the protest continued throughout the day, sympathetic members of the Municipal Government met with community organizers. “These statues really serve as a public service.” explained Cultural Affairs Chairperson Safir H. “I mean, when you think of it, a Tel Aviv guy offering to show strangers his genitals is actually a rather accurate preview of what out of town visitors will experience in Tel Aviv.”

tel-aviv-junk1Yet despite the strong opposition from community activists, some Tel Aviv residents see the wisdom in maybe erecting displaying a slightly different kind of statue. Alert local Ronit S. explained. “My family lives in Holon, and last week I had to give my mom directions to my new apartment. So I told her ‘Turn right at the statue of the guy grabbing himself.’ And my mom was like ‘You mean the one on Rothschild where he is using both hands? And then I said ‘No. The one on Dizengoff and Gordon where he is relaxing in a chair with his legs open.’ So yeah…. maybe if they just had a statue of a bird or a car or something, it would be better.”

As the protest adjourned for the evening, several philanthropic-minded men from the neighborhood offered to serve as models for a statue that better served the wishes of the community.

 

Arts & Literature, Tel Aviv Living

Neve Tzedek Gallery Exhibits Pictures of People Taking Pictures of Cats in Neve Tzedek

Neve Tzedek Art Gallery Exhibiting Pictures of People Taking Pictures of Cats in Neve Tzedek Daily Freier

By Aaron Pomerantz

Last Updated 8/14/2016 at 11:10 AM

Tel Aviv, Shabazi Street: Neve Tzedek’s latest Gallery is taking the Tel Aviv Art World by storm, and with good reason.  The Krakonowsky Gallery on Shabazi Street has cleared all of its walls in order to exhibit nothing but photos of people taking photos of cats in Neve Tzedek. The Gallery’s Chief Docent Yair G. explained.

“What we are trying to do is capture the essence of place. And that place is Neve Tzedek. Which has a lot of tourists. And a lot of cats. Everything else kinda fell into place.”

The Daily Freier asked Yair how long the Krakonowsky Gallery has been open, and he explained that it opened six weeks ago. Yair, who hails from Ashkelon, then went on to explain the name of the Gallery. “We were looking for something that sounded sufficiently Old World, sufficiently Ashkenazic, and sufficiently Pretentious. And then, BAM! The name hit me. Inspiration is like that sometimes.”

The Daily Freier then took the time to follow the patrons throughout the Gallery to get a feel for their reactions. Film Graduate Student Naomi P. admired one photo of a Birthright participant taking a photo of a Calico cat as it wrestled with an empty bag of Bamba. “Amazing. She seems perfectly at ease with being in front of the camera. No fear of humans whatsoever….. The Birthright participant I mean.”

Local collector Arielle C. shared her enthusiasm on the exhibit. “Wow. Just wow. This is just superb. And now my obsession with artistic depictions of pop tarts just seems so…..so…… June 2016.”

The Krakonowsky Collection’s Exhibit will continue through September, at which point it will switch over to pictures of tourists trying to find their way out of Neve Tzedek.

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Arts & Literature, Start Up Nation, Tel Aviv Living

Tel Avivians ask Artist with Exhibit of Pop Tarts …. where did he find Pop Tarts

Daily Freier Art Gallery Tel AvivBy Aaron Pomerantz

Last Updated 6/14/2016 at 3:30 PM

Tel Aviv, Ben Yehuda: The entire city is talking about the exciting modern art gallery on Ben Yehuda and its avant-garde exhibit featuring Campbell’s Soup, Cheez-Its, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, and Pop Tarts.  The Daily Freier took a break from its busy schedule of reading Secret Tel Aviv in order to break this story.

“It is just amazing what the artist did here.” gushed Neve Tzedek resident Avi N.  “It is a critique of our Shared Model of Existence on this Planet…….. Do you know where he got the Pop Tarts?  I’m dying over here.”

“I’m just in awe.” noted Jaffa writer Tamir H. “Standing in this gallery, one has the feeling of being trapped in a circus of absurdity and despair….. or, you know, a semi-decent Western Supermarket that has things I want at reasonable prices.”

Alert local Ronit S. was ecstatic. “This artist is a genius.  He has captured the nihilistic sadness hiding within modernity….. and I’m really hoping he does something with Diet Cherry Coke next time.”

Daily Freier Tel Aviv Art GallleryThe studio curator seemed frustrated as patrons attempted to remove individual pieces of the sculpture depicting cartons of Ritz Crackers and Idaho Spuds Mashed Potato Mix, and bring them to his desk as if it were a checkout cash register. “What is wrong with these people? This is not Supersel!” he exclaimed, before quietly placing the carton in a plastic sack and pocketing 40 Shekels.

 

Arts & Literature, Haaretz

Artist With Flag In His Butt at Haaretz Event Shocks People Who’ve Never Read Haaretz

699700259(EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS REALLY HAPPENED!)

By Aaron Pomerantz and Yuval Weiss

Last Updated 3/7/2016 at 4:50 PM

Tel Aviv (Surprise!): The scandalous performance at yesterday’s Haaretz Culture Conference during which an artist placed the flag in his tuchus while pelting attendees with orange rinds, shocked and offended those members of the audience and the public who had never, like, actually “read” Haaretz.  The Daily Freier rushed to the scene to console the traumatized, somehow find a way to work through the horror, and to monetize this story.

“I….I don’t know what to say” said a shell-shocked Adi F., who admitted that she had never read a column by Gideon Levy. “I wonder if Maccabi will cover therapy sessions. I really want to un-see this.”

Other audience members were visibly angry. “This is an outrage! A shonda to the Goyim! How could he do this?” demanded Michael H., before letting slip that his exposure to Haaretz is limited to peaking at the Weekend Edition left on his Vad Bayit’s doorstep.

Interestingly, audience members who were accustomed to Haaretz were visibly less upset. “Still not as offensive as an Amira Hass article!” chuckled alert local Ronit S. as she sipped a cappuccino in the lobby.

After security escorted the artist from the stage and removed the flag from his posterior, a subsequent body cavity search further revealed 3 Shekels, 40 Agurot, some cheap sunglasses, and a Rav Kav.