An exhibit of pictures worth thousands of words
The conjunction of art and literature is not a new concept. From the comic books of our childhood going back to the Renaissance, there has always been a mutuality between the two types of arts, which are both different results of a similar creative process. So when Jerusalem hosted a Writers Festival earlier this month, it was only natural that the books should be accompanied by an art exhibit. And though the festival has since ended, the art exhibit, entitled "Reading Log," will remain on display until mid-June at Mishkenot Sha'ananim.
The exhibit is based on and inspired by Jorge Luis Borge's short story "Library of Babel," which imagines the universe as a large library, made up of hexagonal chambers, containing every book that has been and will ever be written.
"The visual aesthetic of it was what I found interesting," said Irina Gordon, who is curating the exhibit at Mishkenot Sha'ananim. To turn the idea into reality, Gordon turned to Peter Jacob Maltz and Gary Goldstein, two artists with strong connections to literary works. Goldstein, who was born in the United States, filled his part of the exhibit with pages of books whose texts he first illustrated, drawing comic book-style images in their place, thereby conveying the meaning of blacked-out text blocks. "He takes the legacy of the books and works with it and gives it further life," Gordon said.
London-born Maltz took a different tack, instead creating illustrations for a series of books that have influenced him over the various stages of his life, from childhood to raising kids of his own. Ranging from Ecclesiastes (pictured above) and works by Dante to Maus and Zorba the Greek, Maltz's works give "a visual and linguistic process that is at the same time private and for everybody, harboring metaphorical, intellectual and emotional junctures," according to the exhibitors.
Gordon emphasized that there is much in common between writing and drawing. "There has always has been a kind of dialogue and tension between the verbal image and the visual image. There's always been a kind of relationship, a very complex relationship," she said.
Gordon said Mishkenot Shana'anim usually tries to tie the visual arts into whatever event they are hosting "to create an expanded and enriching experience." However, "when there is something like the Writers Festival, then it's a great opportunity to have a visual and philosophical, aesthetic experience that takes place not in the conference but in the physical space."
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