James Torrell’s spiritual blueprint

If you look into artists’ childhood memories, drawings, and music and literature they liked, you will most likely see the connection to what they create as adults. The American artist James Turrell, whose art I love, illustrates this beautifully.   Whenever I visit the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, I go to the space he created […]

Borrowed scenery: The Law of Preservation

The law of Preservation of Matter teaches us that nothing is added or deleted from the sum of matter in the cosmos, it only changes place and form. I participate in this change. Feathers picked on my morning walks in Israel were flown in a large iron bird and spread in the Kumano Kodo path in Japan, […]

Borrowed scenery 借景

Borrowed scenery is an interesting Japanese concept of relating to a public space as yours to share and enjoy. If a person sees a green mountain or hill from his home, he is lucky, and will definitely relate to it as part of his space and tiny garden. As an example of borrowed scenery for artistic needs, […]

KOTO-IN

Strolling in Kyoto – I took with me a few cards I had left from the moon-viewing event at Ohara. I photographed the image in my most loved gardens. For a short while I was one with the surrounding. I made a mark.  At Koto-in, a Japanese couple were curious enough to ask me what I was doing.  I gave them the […]

Jikkoin Temple 実光院 at Ohara, 2015

Shorei Yatsugake, Shin no kyorei or “True Spirit” (Shakuhachi Flute)

Jikkoin Temple 実光院  Ohara, 25.11,2015; musicians and dancers are getting ready in a tiny room. The guests enjoy the garden. First guests will soon be served matcha tea and a sweet. Iori Kolar and musicians are ready. Makiko Sakurai sings and plays Shirabyoshi. Makiko’s performance Nona Orbach offers nine moon pool for the guests to walk […]

Beth She’arim excavations, 2014 – Naming

Archaeologists have deep passion and stories about the site they are digging. Common knowledge collapses as the earth unfold its secret’s dormant for centuries. Glass bracelets from the Ottoman times buried next to Byzantine pottery shards found at the same leval of earth. Coincidence is the undercurrent notion of history remains that were left for […]

Beth She’arim excavations, 2014

ARCHAEOLOGY LESSON FOR MOUND HACKER: MEASURING MARKING  DIGGING SCOOPING BROOMING PILING UNFOLDING FINDING INSPECTING Where did it begin? A pit   Beth She’arim excavations, 2014 Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa Excavations manager: Dr. Adi Erlich Excavations staff: Rona Evyasaf, David Yeger, Dani Chechelnitsky, Ran Kaftory, Menachem Schnell. Beit She’arim National Park         […]

Mound Hacker on his way to Rome

My late grandfather, the architect  Issac Kipnis, was the first to tell me the story of the burnt  library of Alexandria. I was eight years old. The lost knowledge of the western world intrigued me ever since. I will be lecturing at The Arts and Sociaty Conference at Rome this week. Mound Hacker, will be probably restless, trying to pull me out of the lecture […]