Read exhibition text (In Hebrew)
Tomer Netanel Levy – Ghosts
Curator: Estee Balsam (Curator at the Israel Museum)
In his first solo exhibition at Chelouche Gallery, Tomer Netanel Levy focuses on the search for a tangible manifestation of the metaphysical, attempting to give form to the invisible through unique works crafted from steel.
In the series of works on display, Levy captures the “ghosts” of our time, and turns them into objects that challenge the space between the abstract and the functional. The sculptures, pseudo-archetypal figures, juxtapose diverse worlds from which Levy draws influence – from archaeological findings and animated films to Bruegel’s “The Blind Leading the Blind”, and expressions in contemporary sculpture.
This exhibition is the result of a formal exploration and technique developed by Levy, providing a new aesthetic that allows him to infuse unique characteristics and different identities into each piece.
Distorted figurative compositions comprise sculptures that transform from stationary objects into dynamic forms in flux between past and future, offering a glimpse into moments frozen in time, where the artist has so-called breathed spirit into steel.
Through the personification of the sculptures and hints at the relationships between them, the exhibition suggests a process of disintegration and change through which Levy seeks to shed light on and undermine the foundations of free choice and the individual’s behavior within society.
In contrast to the qualities of the industrial material, perceived as hard and rigid, Levy’s works succeed in evoking empathy and a nearly human sensitivity that bring to the surface hovering feelings of insecurity and impermanence, while simultaneously providing fertile ground for confronting the mystery inherent in the concept of “Ghosts”.
Tomer Netanel Levy (b. 1987, Haifa)
An artist, designer, and curator, living and working in Tel Aviv – Jaffa, Levy creates objects imbued with historical and material narratives. By pushing the boundaries of traditional metal craftsmanship, he explores the collective aspects of the functional and the decorative, employing them as tools for developing personal, social, and critical forms of expression.
Alongside his wife, artist Shay Alfia, Levy founded SALT Gallery to promote local craftsmanship and introduce new avenues for collecting design. His works are included in various private collections worldwide and Ghosts marks his third conceptual solo exhibition.