Media photos of the cancelled exhibition in Beit Sokolov, Tel Aviv, 3/9/2009 (read more)
The installation consists of 7 canvases 1.80 m х 0.96 m each with the ground on them as taken from the places of terrorist attacks implemented in Israel by female terrorists, 7 canvases of altered images of Madonna, a video film (21:00, by Lilia Chak) and FERROR word visualization, made of newspapers.
Poster of the FERROR Exhibition
Original: Giovanni Bellini.
Alzano Madonna.
1485-1490.
Bergamo, Academia Carrara
Galina Bleikh and Lilia Chak are introducing into international lexicon a new term: FERROR– a phenomenon of XXI century – acts of terrorism perpetrated by women (Female Terror). Today, the world faces a new gender problem – we are being killed by women-suicide bombers (ferrorists). Preparing this kind of terrorist act is a rather simple task: women do not have to be trained in arms, do not have to be educated in militarily academies or in sophisticated explosive weaponry – they have become a disposable and cheap weapon themselves. Among numerous terrorist acts carried out by ferrorists in Israel, the artist has chosen only seven. However, this problem is not pertinent only to Israel. Ferror has become a murdering phenomenon throughout Europe, Asia, and almost every continent on earth.
7 canvases of altered images of Madonna Madonna, even without a religious connotation, is a world accepted symbol of motherhood and love and responsibility for a child. Lovingly she cradles a child in her lap, protectively holding it with her hands. In the warped world of extremism, love in the heart of a woman is replaced by such hatred that even motherhood is replaced by desire for annihilation and mayhem.
It is erroneous to think that terror is only an Israeli problem. The whole world is under the threat, and a universal child on Madonna’s lap is in grave danger.
Prints (including frames) on canvas, 80 cm height each
7 “Soil” canvases These works are testimonials of the wounded Soil.
In Hebrew, the words soil (adamah), man (adam) and blood (dam) stem from the same root. The very same soil where suicide bombings took place was carefully collected and used in these works. These canvases are a tribute to the victims.
Usually people see terror only on TV. One can get accustomed to “screen death”.
These canvases present an opportunity to experience, to feel, to employ other senses than just eyesight.
Nowadays, the science knows that each cell of the human body contains full information on his genome. Considering the ground as a live subject with its own memory, the artist creates a monument to those killed in those places.
Ground on canvas,1.80 m х 0.96 m each
The ground was collected in the spots, where suicide bombing took place:
– on 27 January, 2002 in Jaffa Street in Jerusalem. One person killed and 150 injured.
– on 27 February, 2002 on checkpoint Maccabim near Modiin. 4 persons injured.
– on 29 March, 2002 at the entrance of supermarket Kiryat Yovel in Jerusalem.
2 persons killed and 28 injured.
– on 12 April, 2002 at Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem. 6 persons killed and 104 injured.
– on 19 May, 2003 at the entrance of mall Haamakim in Afula. 3 persons killed and 93 injured.
– on 4 October 2003 in a restaurant Maxim in Haifa. 21 persons killed and 51 injured.
– on 22 September, 2004 on French Hill junction in Jerusalem. 2 persons killed and 17 injured.
7 documentary videos The Artist: Lilia Chak Lilia shot videos of Galina collecting the soil for the canvases from each and every place where the bombing took place.
There, where seven women – seven ferrorists – committed their atrocities, life goes on, the sun shines, people do business, and only memorial plaques with names of victims remind us that these places once were a scene of carnage.
3–23/09/2009Ferror (Female Terror). Exhibition by Galina Bleikh & Lilia Chak, Journalist's Center Beit Sokolov, Tel Aviv, Israel.
The exhibition was cancelled (read more).
