״The conceptual point of departure for Itamar Mendes-Flohr’s first solo exhibit is the water cisterns at Hansen House in Jerusalem. From the early days of the Jesus Hilfe Lepers’ Hospital (mid-19th century) these cisterns served as a source of freshwater for treatment of the hospital’s patients and for watering trees and plants at the compound’s autarkic farm. The exhibit transforms the spaces of the Mamuta Art and Research Center into a laboratory for artistic research about the connection between water and stone, motion and light.״
Sala-Manca, Curators
ABOUT
The exhibition is organised as a guided water pathway: The water flow begins by exiting an antique bathtub, meandering along through the exhibition artworks, until finishing in the sewer, having created a complete autarkic system. Notably, the water flow nourished a little seed along the way, which grew to be a plant by the end of the exhibition.
Beyond water’s natural force, human control over the presence or absence of water in day to day operations (such as diversion, access restriction, evaporation, over-use etc), can have immediate influence on life and death of existence.
Mendes-Flohr’s unique use of water emphasizes this powerful potential by letting it become not only the aesthetic and sculptural body of the exhibit, but also acknowledging its role as the sole designing force.
THE BEGINNING OF THE WATER SYSTEM...
I. APPLE
APPLE, WATER, COPPER PIPES, MICROWAVE MOTOR
The laminated water flow contacts the Apple in an ultra stable way: the pressure of the water is balanced out with the flow that covers the ever-shifting negative side. This phenomena is called the Bernoulli's Principle, that which, for example, also keeps airplanes stable in the sky.
The apple is captured in a stream of laminated water flow. Such streamlined water movement is opposed to turbulent flow, which how water would move naturally.
II. WATER FALLS
CONCRETE WALL, HYDROPHOBIC SPRAY, WATER
The painting shows the Hansen hospital at its most glorious time during the 19th century. At the front is the family of the curators, as well as elements from Francisco Goya's "The Family of Charles IV", 1800.
The Water painting was created by painting the image of a photo negative onto concrete using hydrophobic substance paint. This allows the image's light areas to remain dry, as the concrete is shielded from water. Subsequently, when the fountain is off and the wall becomes dry, the painting disappears.
III. FLOOR DROPS
HYDROPHOBIC SPRAY, WATER, PIPES
The artwork takes advantage of the slope, and therefore the pull of gravity present throughout the basement of the gallery space, the former hospital. Notably, this also indicates how much water was a defining element in the design of the building.
The floor surface was treated with a super-hydrophobic substance. This material is mimicking the natural characteristic of many plants which display hydrophobic coatings on their leaves.
The material creates a nanoscale texture which causes water droplets to roll off the surface.
...THE END OF THE WATER SYSTEM
IV. SATELLITE
STANDALONE KINETIC SCULPTURE
2x2m OLD METAL SATELLITE DISH, WATER, LIGHT
Satellite embodies the physics phenomenon of water is spinning at a certain speed and thus taking on the shape of a parabola.
Thus it effectively becomes an optical lens creating perfect refractions when illuminated.
V. STONE DROP
STANDALONE KINETIC SCULPTURE
1mx40cmx40cm. STONE, METAL, WATER
The stone surface was treated with a hydrophobic substance which allows the water droplet to remain contained. The stone itself is resting on a mechanical system which gently tilts it ever so gently, forever keeping the drop from falling off.
All the mechanical and wire materials were reclaimed from junkyards.
Along the way, the water flow nourished a little seed which grew to be a plant by the end of the exhibition.
A man asked a farmer
"How do you grow an apple tree?"
The farmer replied "It's just apples."