Is Angie disturbing?

This image on mine was published last week by P8 Gallery's page, together with an interview with me around my work. It belongs to the series "Angie". Apparently, someone complained about it's contents and it was banned, together with the funny things I had to say about art and life in general. I don't know if it's a pity or not, but I find it really sad that a nude female body (MY body!) is seen as disturbing or violent where hatred and vain ideas are being spread all the time without ever being censored. Just turn on the TV for a moment or listen to a conversation on the bus and you'll know what I mean.

But well, here she is again, nude and blond and bathing in an empty broken tub.

  

Flamingo (and now, with Tal's Poem)

 My friend, the poet Tal Nitzan, just published a new book. The name of the book is "Look at the Same Cloud Twice", and on it's back there is a beautiful poem about a flamingo - about the flamingo as the guardian of the Poet's solitude. Somehow, it reminded me of these images I took some time ago, although my flamingo is made of plastic and lives in the bathtub, not in a lake :).

The poem, by Tal Nitzan:

אִם

אִם תִּנָּתֵן לִי חַיַּת בְּדִידוּת

יִהְיֶה זֶה פְלָמִינְגוֹ.

כִּתְמוֹ הַוָּרֹד יֵרָאֶה לְמֵרָחוֹק,

רַגְלָיו הַמְהַסְּסוֹת-לִכְאוֹרָה

יְטוֹפְפוּ עִגּוּל סְבִיבִי

וְצַוָּארוֹ הַדַּק יִמְצָא תָּמִיד

אֶת הַמִּרְוָח הַמִּזְעָרִי

בֵּינִי לְכָל אֶחָד

וְיִכָּרֵךְ בִּמְסִירוּת עַל צַוָּארִי.

מתוך "להביט באותו ענן פעמיים" (קשב לשירה, 2012)

If

If I were given a solitude animal

it would have been a flamingo.

Its pink stain would be seen from afar,

its seemingly hesitant legs

would trace a circle around me

and its thin neck would always find

the tiny gap

between me and anyone

and loyally clench my neck.

"Look at the same cloud twice" (2012)

 

Bread and Roses

Sometimes I do different things, and it's always very difficult to choose what to publish (and what not to publish) in my lab. 

For example, since I began working on my solo exhibition (March 14-April 5, P8 Gallery, Jaffa), I haven't published any work concerning that project, so you all have a good reason to come, see some new pieces and have a surprising experience, I hope :). 

Nevertheless, here is a piece from another series of mine, this time documentary and quite different from my usual work, I think. The series is called Orot ("Lights"), and it includes 8 long exposure images taken in Tel Aviv beach during last summer, at night. 

This one in particular is going to be exhibited in "Bread and Roses" art sale (December 22, Minshar Gallery, Tel Aviv) organized by Maan, a worker's organization that promotes employment for Arab women in Israeli society. As every year, the profits from the art sale will go to Maan's project "Women and Work".

The Smile

Unpublished till now, this work was chosen to take part in "The Collective and The Collection" project, launched by Cuban artist Conrado R. Maletá and Israeli artist Naamá Sarid Maletá. You are more than welcome to go inside the link and take a look of some other awesome photographers from all over the world, participating in this revolutionary initiative:

http://tctcartproject.tumblr.com/

The next international exhibition of the TC&TC project is about to take place in November, in Rosario, Argentina.

Creature

This is one of the last creatures built by us (this guy is my partner's creation) in our former flat. Now, the little Lego pieces are all packed in a tight jar, inside a dark box, waiting for us to unpack our stuff and give them life again. It will take time, though, for unpacking a home is a task that reminds us we are already adult women, and adult women do not play with Lego. Playing with Lego, they say, is a privilege for children and men...

O

Someone told me once I should have done some manicure before taking this picture. I answered him he should have gone through brain surgery before giving his opinions. My hands are short, crooked and childish. I love them. And I have a spider in my mouth!  

Boxing

Did I ever shared with you the fact I love boxing?

Have a great day! :)

Do's and Dont's

Make a living, pay taxes, pay for your groceries at the supermarket, dress properly, dress, buy stuff, buy a house, wash the dishes, don't eat peanut butter and jelly for lunch, be considered to your neighbors, read the newspapers, hold your farts, DON'T SCREAM AT PEOPLE ON THE STREET, don't cry in public, invite guests for a nice dinner, become a mother, become a woman.

A few days ago I turned 34 and honestly, I don't feel like any of this.

Special for the Rosh Hashana

I wish you all a year full of experiments. Full of daring and adventure.

XXX

R.

Pink baloon

You might wonder where the hell did I pose for this image. Well, it was taken in an abandoned Syrian military base in Ramat Hagolan heights, by the border with Syria, during the "Base Colors" project, where several wonderful street and urban artists (including myself), turned the military base into an art space for generations to come, a project that lasted a few days and ended in a big event. 

The days we spent and worked there are one of the most intense experiences I had, and this image is one of it's expressions. Worth every spine in my feet or, as they say: no pain, no gain :)  

Homage

On Thursday, during an opening of an exhibition (P8:13, P8 Gallery, Poriya 8, Jafffa) where I'm presenting this piece:

http://rinatslab.blogspot.co.il/2012/03/mark.html

a lady asked me how did I come to the idea of clipping my nipples. Well, I told her, the great photographer Francesca Woodman gave me the inspiration (she worked during the 70's), and the image below was meant to be the result of my homage to her. In the end, I picked another image, but In guess sometimes it's OK to share pieces from the archive.

Have a great weekend :)

To the exhibition page:

http://www.p8gallery.net/#!now-at-p8/mainPage

Francesca Woodman:

http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/exhibitions/past/exhibit/4432

Away We Go (Gregor and Greta, an alternative ending)

Shortie

This simple self portrait I took today in the studio is part of a larger, much kinkier project, but still, before I begin playing with it in Photoshop, I felt like showing the world my new hair cut, so... here it is. Whether you like it or not :)

Love and Death

It was during last weekend that I built this adorable straight couple, inspired in Mexican popular death characters,  and although they tend to laugh a lot, I chose to photograph them in a very proper, old fashioned, pose, according to the strict rules of the studio. 

Hope they make you happy :)

Music

It's been long since I'm longing for some fresh new music, but hadn't had time at all to go and get any. Finally, 2 days ago, our friend Noa came and gave us, like a godmother fairy, hundreds of vinyl records from her parent's collection. Classic, jazz, rock'n Roll - all a pair of ears can ever ask for. 

God bless you Noa!  

Oren

It's been a while since I publish one of my Pygmalion II images. Actually, I think it's the firs time this lab hosts a male face. Well, this is gorgeous Oren, have a nice day :) 

Untitled...

I know this is not a self portrait, nor a mannequin or a Lego piece. And yet, sometimes I do some other things and feel like sharing them. In other words: it's hard for me not to break the  stigma I've created for myself. 

Have a surprising weekend :)

My greatest achievement...

I know it may sound funny to you, but even though not necessarily in the field of photography, this guy is my greatest achievement  in Lego so far. 

And yes, I am probably not the most talented Lego sculptor in history; and yes, I know for most people there are much greater and more important goals in life (world peace, innovations in science, money, prizes, key parts in Hollywood films...), but still I feel extremely proud  of my yellowish creation, of which only this studio photographremains , for the original is already back in it's box. torn in pieces... 

Two Profiles

This image was also taken in Mexico City, on our last evening in the suite, I think. And although it doesn't resemble any of my self portraits from the series No, I actually like it's simplicity. 

And of course, now you see I can also be deep, you know. Artistic :)

Bananaz

This self portrait was taken a day after my baby sister's wedding, in the terrace of the suite where we were staying in the suburbs of Mexico City. 
The flower arrangement and the hat are souvenirs from the nuptial events. The bananas we ate later for breakfast... 

Reptile

In case you missed the Lego series, here is one last image before I return business and begin downloading, editing and sharing some of the pics. I took in Mexico. Some of them belong - of course - to my series NO, and others are more of a documentary character. 

In the meanwhile, and talking about Lego, you are more than invited to visit P8 Gallery (Poriya 8, Jaffa), where the annual sales exhibition is taking place till the 16.6, with great pieces - including 8 Lego works by me - that are offered for excellent prices :) 

For more info:

http://www.p8gallery.net/#!now_in_gallery/c161y

Cheeres!

Protection

Sunny

This is Sunny. I built it a long time ago, and it's already back in the jar, torn to pieces (dust to dust, in Lego terms). I love the age of mechanical reproduction, it gives death continuity (or the illusion of it).

If you like Sunny, give him a "LIKE". I just downloaded this gadget, so you can do it for individual posts, and also for the entire Lab. 

Cheers! :)

The Window (Homage to Costa Magarakis)

This work is a glimpse of mine to the world of the artist Costa Magarakis, whose solo exhibition is about to take place in the end of the month in P8 Gallery. The materials for this image are all taken from his crazy studio, and you can take a look at some of his works right here:

Costa Magarakis

Hope you like them as much as I do :)

The Tired Visionary (self portrait)

There is no point to keep apologizing for interrupting the Lego series. As I see it, the difference between a blog and a "serious" website is spontaneity. And I am a very capricious woman. Anyway, the techniques used for this self portrait are a product of a mistake. The same happened with penicillin :) 

When I choose to learn from their results instead of just throwing them away, mistakes can become miracles for me. Have a miraculous weekend!   

Nina

After a few days of being truly excited about my "What Are You Looking at?" self portrait, I'm back with some Lego images, as promised. 

And giving it a second thought, doesn't Nina look like me? 

Soon, seven of my Lego images will be offered for sale in the annual sales exhibition at P8 Gallery in Jaffa, together with dozens of great works by great artists. Come and buy something :)

What are You Looking at?

Yes, I know I promised to concentrate on the Lego series  for a while, but I just finished this piece of work and since this is MY lab, I decided to be true to my inconsistent heart. 

I wonder what you think (you are more than welcome to comment), and if you like it, please be kind and share :)

XXX

R.

Lego rocks

Some evenings, my partner and I play with Lego. We listen to music, pour ourselves a drink and spend hours building figurines. Before destroying them in order to start all over again, I document our little monsters in my improvised studio. 

It may sound strange, but this stylish looking series is actually a documentary one.

Happy Passover and merry Easter to you all!

  

Lego I

I thought  it's time for a thematic switch in my lab for a while, and having my first Lego image hanged now in a new exhibition (Two Deeds, P8 Gallery and Haifa Museum, Poriya st. 8, Jaffa) is a great chance to do so. 

In this post you can see it all by itself, as well as hanged beautifully in the gallery, by the work of the painter Roy Yariv. It's size is 90 by 60 cm.

(The sculpture itself, by the way, was made by my partner Revital Gal)

http://www.facebook.com/pshmone.artigallery

Pink

Sometimes, light can be our swimming pool, and inner freedom - our ultimate vacation. 

Wish you all a pink week, and hope to see you this Wednesday in the opening of "Two Deeds'  exhibition, a part of Haifa's Museum grand exhibition "Haifa-Jerusalem-Tel Aviv".

28.03.2012, P8 Gallery, Poriya st. 8, Jaffa, 20:00 pm

Self Portrait Hairless

Something a little different today. 

And yes, Iranian people, I don't hate you and I don't want to kill you - why should I?!

Turtle me

I think no image could fit better today: spring is knocking on the door already, but winter refuses to move away. This image was taken in a stormy day in November. This umbrella broke a few days later. This winter took 3 umbrellas from me. March and still counting... 

Untitled

The Mark

This image was taken on the roof of my building. It was meant to be a homage to the wonderful photographer, Francesca Woodman. This is what came out, and this weekend you have one last chance to see it live in "The New Israeli Space" exhibition (Shelter 751, 10-12 Ha'ain Het st. Musrara, Jerusalem). Happy Purim and even happier Woman's Day!

Rinat's Lab: Self portrait with Happy in the closet

Rinat's Lab: Self portrait with Happy in the closet: Yes, it's me. I hope I look OK without a wig. This teddy bear, whose ears have fallen, was given to my by my dad when I was born. His name ...

Happy

Yes, it's me. I hope I look OK without a wig. This teddy bear, whose ears have fallen, was given to my by my dad when I was born. His name is Happy. I love working with him on the set.

Hybrid

This is one of my first self portraits, and it was improvised at home, using the existing light and the only wall in my humble flat that is not covered with books and stuff. It is not perfect, and I have tried to remake it several times in more proper locations, with some lighting and makeup, but have never quite succeeded to imitate the freshness, or even the precise position of the first time. I hope you like it like I do.  

Hybrid

I kill me

Please Don´t

Self portrait with turquoise

When i portray myself, I'm divided in two, photographer and model, dominatrix and dominated, subject and object. The process itself demands precision and self discipline, and these wild images are the results of hours of hard work. I prefer to work alone. When deconstructed, I am my own team.  

"Shhhhh"

I thought it's time to add some color to Rinat's Lab. Welcome to my series "No" (self portraits). I hope it keeps you awake. 

Ingrid

My own private Roni

This is Roni. I found her in the garbage, on Nachalat Binyamin street, in an impossibly hot and humid day last summer. I was coming back from a media interview concerning the social rights of freelance workers in Israel, wearing a little red dress that got quite sweaty while I carried Roni to her new home. She weighs around 7 kg. I had a 20 min. walk ahead of me. She is the only mannequin in the Pygmalion II series shot by me outside of her natural habitat - that is: the window of a store. Except of her, I have never touched nor posed any of my silent Galatheas.

Roni still lives with us. Actually, she is watching me right now from behind while i write.

Rinat's Lab: Asia (from the series Pygmalion II)

Rinat's Lab: Asia (from the series Pygmalion II)

Asia (from the series Pygmalion II)

This is Ellie. She was waiting for me in a store, on south Tel Aviv

4 images out of my series Pygmalion II (I see them, I love them, I give them birth)