top of page

THE LID

Ella Littwitz, Ariel Reichman, Shahar Afek, Jannat Amara, Rachel Monosov,

Admire Kamudzengerere and Moshe Hoffman

 

Curator: Netta Laufer

 

22.5.2019 - 4.7.2019

From the dawn of time, human beings have been seeking reason and meaning for the suffering inextricably linked to human existence. This search for meaning found reflections in theology and philosophy; the search for reason has given birth to myth, the ancient refuge from uncertainty. In response to the question of suffering, it is not uncommon to find an accusatory finger pointing at women in myths from various traditions, represented by the first woman. One of the best-known examples is the story of Pandora.

Zeus devised a stratagem to avenge himself on humans for stealing of fire (by their benefactor Prometheus), commanded that an enchanting, deceptive creature should be created "like to the immortal goddesses in face," and placed in her hands a pithos jug in which all of the world's ills were compressed. In contrast to the biblical story of the human race, Pandora is not the first sinner who brings calamity to humans, but she herself is the punishment – the vessel containing the evils of existence.

The conclusion of the story of Pandora is open to interpretation. At the bottom of the pithos she was holding remained Hope. Pandora put the lid back as instructed by Zeus, but it is unclear if this is part of the punishment or a way of alleviating it.

The Lid is an exhibition attempting to examine the myth of Pandora and its contemporary ramifications through three main perspectives: woman's role, opening of the box, and hope. The artworks engage in the issues of femininity, woman's place in society, the moment in which all of the world's evils are released into the world as an observation point from which to view extreme situations, and the place of hope as a strength or an illusion of an idea.

Photography by Evyatar Hershtik 

bottom of page