In many cities, a project like Urbanica might attract a sculptor here or a dancer there. But Jerusalem, which has the largest concentration of art schools in the country and a thriving community of every kind of artist from painters and musicians to puppetteers and designers, is ripe for such a project, which will help grow the community here by giving the artists a common work space.
One person who merited to be one of the first to use the space is Yaniv Schonfeld, 25, an experimental sound artist (“Like a kind of musician,” as he puts it). “It was an amazing experience you don’t get to do everyday,” Schonfeld says of the Urbanica launch event, where he provided entertainment. “It was interesting as a sound project. It’s always interesting to play with space.”
Schonfeld, who is originally from Belgium and studied at Camera Obscura in Tel Aviv and the School of Visual Theater in Jerusalem, tells GoJerusalem.com that he believes Jerusalem is a good place for artists. “I love Jerusalem – I think it’s a great place to do art. It gives me inspiration,” he says. “I think everybody should come to make art here.”
The festivities included DJ sets, performances, and many of the new tenants displaying their work – from graffiti artists and video artists to jewelers selling their wares and exhibitions by photographers and painters. The party was part of the three-weekend Jerusalem festival Hamshushalayim. With ties to Mayor Nir Barkat, Ruach Chadasha’s goal is to stop the Jerusalem brain (or artist) drain. The Jerusalem Center of Design, a relative newcomer to the Jerusalem scene that was recently launched by the JDA, which promotes and shepherds artists and designers in Jerusalem, also played a big part in Urbanica’s conception.
Photos courtesy of Daniel Greenberg for Ruach Chadasha.
