Afloat on a sea of Israeli art

While most of us are familiar with the images from Israel shown on the news, the country's modern art - much less that produced by Israeli women - isn't something many of us have experienced. From November 16 to December 10, art lovers in Warsaw will get their chance, when Królikarnia's "The Raft of the Medusa" exhibition will be held.

Twenty-three female artists from Israel will present paintings, photography as well as a video installation. The artists were specifically selected for Poland's exhibition, and will present pieces which have received worldwide appreciation. The Warsaw exhibition will boast an extensive range of works from Israel's female modern artists, as some of them began their craft at the beginning of 1970s, while some have only recently graduated from art academies.

"The Raft of the Medusa" will examine the trope of a "monster" within art by Israeli women and within the women's own psyches. The monster that is found is an archetypal creature of high intelligence and explosive sexuality.

"The challenge in creating the exhibition is presenting that less predictable face of the Israeli art scene," said Naomi Aviv, the curator of the Warsaw event. "People of the world can observe the public sphere of Israel on a regular basis. However, it is also very important to remember that in the private, intimate and mental sphere, people of Israel fight with the 'demons' and 'monsters' that are not shown in the newspapers."