State Museum Behind Ägidien: A Place of our own
Was it pure coincidence or destiny? Friday evening, I was scrolling through the internet, thinking about what I could do on the weekend. Then I remembered, didn’t I read something about an exhibition? At the Landesmuseum Hinter Ägidien? I visit the museum’s website and bingo! On the opening weekend at the end of March, the museum is offering not only free admission but also free guided tours of the current special exhibitions. How amazing is that? Naturally, I immediately add the date to my agenda.
E.M. Lilien: Dreaming of Israel
Saturday starts off quite gray. Exactly the right weather to visit the museum. Just before 2 p.m., I arrive and look forward to the brief tour of E.M. Lilien’s Dreaming of Israel. The Art Nouveau artist, who comes from present-day Ukraine, had a vision. In his mind, a picture of a Zionist ideal manifested, which he captured in numerous drawings and etchings. He traveled several times to the province of Palestine at that time. There, he photographed both people and landscapes, from which he later created his works.
Lilien as a representative of cultural Zionism
It certainly seems strange that Lilien, of all people, would publish the book Juda with Börries von Münchhausen, who was appreciated by the Nazis. In fact, this volume is considered the first Jewish book ever. Lilien is also seen as a representative of cultural Zionism. In his portraits, he developed idealized Jewish rulers, both male and female.
Lilien’s wife, Helene Emma (née Magnus) from Braunschweig, is featured on the cover of the exhibition flyer. Helene’s wealthy parents were reportedly not very enthusiastic about their daughter’s choice of husband. Ephraim was simply too poor for the Magnus family. However, Helene stood up to her parents. Their shared happiness lasted for over twenty years until the artist passed away in 1925, while his family faced the fate of many Jews during the Nazi era: they left Germany and emigrated to America (Helene) and Israel (Otto, their son). Fun fact: Ephraim’s son, Otto, is considered the “founder of Bild-Zeitung” for enabling color printing.
Felicitas Heimann Jelinek described Lilien as the artist who “invented the soul of the ghetto Jew.” He was an excellent graphic artist. His works would be instantly recognizable as Jewish art, not only because of the palms in his depictions. With “few strokes of the pen,” he created the Eastern Jew who awaited his salvation. Whether this was true or not, the exhibition E.M. Lilien: Dreaming of Israel is definitely worth seeing, especially for those, like me, who are particularly fond of the Middle Eastern region.
Iris Hassid: A place of our own
About an hour later, the next highlight awaits. I treat myself to a second brief tour and immerse myself in Iris Hassid’s wonderful photo exhibition A Place of Our Own. It takes no time at all, and I am captivated by the story of four Palestinian women. Apart from the fact that I find all four women very impressive and Hassid’s works are striking, I am immediately reminded of my time in the region.
Hassid’s portrayal of identity formation
The artist lives in Tel Aviv, specifically in the Ramat Aviv neighborhood. In that area, she noticed that Arabic was being spoken more and more. One day, she saw the four women sitting in a car, which also serves as the cover image for the exhibition flyer. She approached them. Their initial reactions were quite reserved. Slowly, however, a relationship developed between Majdoleen, Samar, Aya, and Saja – the names of the four women – and Iris. The photos she took over six years were staged, but still depict typical situations from the lives of young women in Tel Aviv.
Italy, Haifa, Tel Aviv
Amid the Palestinian-Israeli friendship, the conflict between the Israeli government and Hamas slowly but surely pushes its way through. The political situation, of course, also has an impact on the lives of the women portrayed: Majdoleen marries and decides to move to Milan with her husband. Saja, who had worn a headscarf throughout the entire period, takes it off to avoid unfriendly glances and comments. She continues to live with her husband in Tel Aviv. Samar, the actress, leaves Tel Aviv and moves to Haifa, where, as a Palestinian, she “stands out less.”
For me, this is an impressive photo exhibition that clears up common clichés and clearly shows what life is like for Palestinian women with Israeli citizenship in Tel Aviv. Rating: particularly valuable!
