After the busy opening of “My Yearning Soul“, I decided to go back to the Visual Beit Midrash (a place for spiritual discussion) a.k.a the South Tel Aviv Gallery, a new space that just opened its doors downtown 2 minutes away from the lively Allenby, and have a fresh look at ShinLamed‘s works.
Curated by the passionate Ronny Koren, the exhibition displays memories from the artist’s childhood, but also seems to try to find a balance between the Haredi world with its strict rules and values, and our contemporary society. ShinLamed from his real name Seffy Fisher was born in a Hasidic community :”a normal Haredi boy turned street artist, turned anarchist working in the darkness of the night while his childhood friends churn Torah lessons*”. The child he was, is omnipresent in his art, like he is trying to put an individual under the spotlight far away from the community’s uniformity, telling us a story and interrogating the notion of identity. That’s exactly what ShinLamed is, a visual story teller.
Even if his visual style is very close from the Noir comic strips, he brought some texture and character with a unique technique that : “consists of cutting black vinyl stickers that he then gently shifts and pulls and sticks on paper or glass*”. He also made an “army” of 3D vinyl figures. Available individually,this little boy holding a Torah had a particularly intense look, sometimes sad and sometimes full of doubts.
Seffy Ficher managed to merge cool looking art and the story of a personal journey. There is a lot of tenderness and affection at “My Yearning Soul”.
When | Until July 31
Where |South Tel Aviv Gallery : Haaliya 25, Tel Aviv.
Website | https://www.facebook.com/STAGallery
**Text Ronny Koren
The Bubblist 