Vibrant Japanese aesthetics • New exhibitions at the Tikotin Museum in Haifa ► Watch

(live here in culture) - A grand opening of three new exhibitions took place on Saturday 22/06/24.

At the beginning of the event, the video supporting the struggle for the release of the abductees "1000 Caesarea musicians" was shown in the museum hall, because the issue of the abductees is close to our hearts, and its importance does not need to be overstated, especially when representatives of the Japanese embassy were present in the hall. The large audience of art lovers was greeted by Yotam Yakir - CEO of Haifa Museums, Yona Yahav - Mayor of Haifa, Mr. Yusuke Arai - Ambassador of Japan to Israel, and Dr. Etti Glass Gisis - Curator of the exhibition.

◄ Grand opening - new exhibitions at the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art • Watch

Holding new exhibitions during wartime supports the human spirit and expresses confidence in the future of our lives here.

Japanese design

The exhibition "Japanese Design Today 100" was brought to Israel courtesy of the Japan Foundation. The exhibition includes 110 items of Japanese design from today's perspective, organized according to 13 categories: furniture, electronics, health and medicine, communication, daily life, tableware and cooking, transportation, architecture, and more. The exhibition unfolds in the central space of the entrance floor and is designed in an aesthetically-elegant way accompanied by clear explanations next to each exhibit.

On the second floor, between the hall and the cafeteria, hang the photographs of Hadva Rokah, from her unique project - "Japanese Sushi Girls".

In poetic, pulsating language, a pharmacist writes:
"On Friday, January 19, 2024, 'Japanese sushi girls' - Kaori, Naomi E., Yuri, Mamie, Ari and Naomi S.) gathered and prepared sushi for the soldiers at the front. The sushi girls wanted to spoil the soldiers, give them food that they are skilled in preparing, While preparing the sushi, there was a harmony and order between the women that charmed me, the delicate acrobatics of their fingers moving gracefully on seaweed and the understanding that prevailed between them in silence, laughing and talking, were beautiful to me, as were the ironed aprons and the Japanese handkerchiefs they wore on their heads. Six women, six life stories full of decisions, fears and hopes... the women decided to tie their fate with the fate of my people and show solidarity in this difficult and complex time The feelings and impressions I felt during the short time we were together."

The sushi girls were even present at the opening of the exhibition and posed for photos against the backdrop of the photographs.

Light on skin

The third exhibition, "Light on skin", consists of black and white photographs of Michael Sela - a young Israeli, born in 1998, who since he was 17 has been documenting his travels around the world with a film camera. Since 2019 Sela lives in Japan.

Michael's photographs are a means of establishing contact with another reality, a distant Japanese reality, but on the other hand very intimate. He knows most of the people he photographs, and photography for him is the commemoration of small moments he spends in their midst.

Next to the presence of people, the element of light stands out in his work. Sela photographs a touch of light on skin paying attention to the elements of geometry, allusion, romance, fragility, aesthetics, humanity and more.

The exhibitions will be shown until 26/11/24
We will wish for times of culture and art without war, in which the kidnapped will return to their homes and will be able to visit the Tikotin Museum.