Nadia Perlov
Deadlift
29 September – 15 December, 2024
Kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim is pleased to present new works of Frankfurt-based Israeli artist Nadia Perlov (*1990). "Deadlift" – a sub-discipline of powerlifting – explores the intricate history of Jerusalem's Mamilla Cemetery, creating a portrait of its controversial transformation from a sacred Muslim burial ground to a hotel and the 'Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem'. "Deadlift" offers perspectives on the ongoing power struggle, the intersections between historical erasure, anti-Semitism, and the displacement of Palestinian life.
Nadia Perolov has placed four large "Giants", sculptures in the space, each focusing on one of the places, characters, or architectures playing a role on this cultural battlefield and in the transitional justice process. The sculptural installations consist of shelving systems containing archive boxes, bodybuilding objects and pieces of plaster casts taken from cultural objects, evoking the image of an archive characterized by empty spaces, prostheses, and a performance of physical exercise raising questions about "display and displacement".
The first "Giant" is the abandoned cemetery of Mamilla itself, whose remains are being overtaken by nature and neoliberal urban society. It represents the erasure of memory, the loss of culture, and the oppression of Palestinian life. Since 1948, Mamilla has been on the Jewish side of the culturally divided city of Jerusalem. Today, the neglected cemetery accommodates Independence Park, a luxury hotel, a school, the city's energy and sewage infrastructure and, since 2004, the 'Museum of Tolerance (and Human Dignity) Jerusalem'.
The second sculpture embodies the historic Palace Hotel, now run as a luxury hotel by a large chain, and brings up its builder Mohammed Amin Al-Husseini, who was appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem during the British Mandate. As a leading figure of the Muslim faith, he posthumously set the legal precedent for the desecration of the Muslim burial site by promoting construction projects such as the Palace Hotel. He also campaigned against the Zionist right of return for Jews before the creation of Israel and collaborated with the Nazi regime.
The third "Giant" is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is involved in the recent history of Mamilla. He personifies the postmodern hero who overcomes his trauma, caused by the catastrophic culmination of European modernity in German National Socialism, through strength. He has long expressed his physical strength in bodybuilding, he lives his performative strength as a Hollywood actor, exercised his political strength as the 38th Governor of California, and he uses his mental strength in the fight against anti-Semitism and his commitment to Israel, accepting or not realizing that he is an agent of political and cultural oppression tactics.
The fourth sculpture is revolving around the highly controversial 'Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem' project, which has been planned on the site of Mamilla since the early 2000s and now exists as a building but is still not fully open to the public. The museum is supposed to promote tolerance between people and cultures but stands on the remains of one of Islam's most important cultural-historical burial sites. In her exhibition, Nadia Perlov employs sculpture, video, drawing, and photographic collage to show the instrumentalization of memory and question concept of tolerance.
Exhibition programme:
Saturday, 28 September 2024, 5pm
Opening
Welcome
Johanna Balderhaar (1st chair)
Welcome
Carl-Hendrik Staal (Honorary Mayor of the City of Neuenhaus)
Introduction
Muriel Meyer (Artistic Director)
Sunday, 29 September 2024, 3pm
Curator's tour with Muriel Meyer
Sunday, 20 October 2024, 11am
Artist talk & Brunch
With Nadia Perlov and Muriel Meyer
Sunday, 3 November 2024, 3pm
Sunday, 1 December 2024, 3pm
Visit of the Jewish cemetery in Neuenhaus
With Christa Pfeifer (Co-founder and 1st chairwoman of the association Günter Frank Haus Neuenhaus, Board Member kvgb)
Registration required: +49 5941 98019 or info@kvgb.de
Kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim
Hauptstraße 37
49828 Neuenhaus, Germany
Curated by Muriel Meyer
Supported by:
Stiftung Kunstfonds, Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien, das Niedersächsische Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur, Stadt- und Samtgemeinde Neuenhaus, Material für Alle Frankfurt am Main
Deadlift
29 September – 15 December, 2024
Kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim is pleased to present new works of Frankfurt-based Israeli artist Nadia Perlov (*1990). "Deadlift" – a sub-discipline of powerlifting – explores the intricate history of Jerusalem's Mamilla Cemetery, creating a portrait of its controversial transformation from a sacred Muslim burial ground to a hotel and the 'Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem'. "Deadlift" offers perspectives on the ongoing power struggle, the intersections between historical erasure, anti-Semitism, and the displacement of Palestinian life.
Nadia Perolov has placed four large "Giants", sculptures in the space, each focusing on one of the places, characters, or architectures playing a role on this cultural battlefield and in the transitional justice process. The sculptural installations consist of shelving systems containing archive boxes, bodybuilding objects and pieces of plaster casts taken from cultural objects, evoking the image of an archive characterized by empty spaces, prostheses, and a performance of physical exercise raising questions about "display and displacement".
The first "Giant" is the abandoned cemetery of Mamilla itself, whose remains are being overtaken by nature and neoliberal urban society. It represents the erasure of memory, the loss of culture, and the oppression of Palestinian life. Since 1948, Mamilla has been on the Jewish side of the culturally divided city of Jerusalem. Today, the neglected cemetery accommodates Independence Park, a luxury hotel, a school, the city's energy and sewage infrastructure and, since 2004, the 'Museum of Tolerance (and Human Dignity) Jerusalem'.
The second sculpture embodies the historic Palace Hotel, now run as a luxury hotel by a large chain, and brings up its builder Mohammed Amin Al-Husseini, who was appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem during the British Mandate. As a leading figure of the Muslim faith, he posthumously set the legal precedent for the desecration of the Muslim burial site by promoting construction projects such as the Palace Hotel. He also campaigned against the Zionist right of return for Jews before the creation of Israel and collaborated with the Nazi regime.
The third "Giant" is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is involved in the recent history of Mamilla. He personifies the postmodern hero who overcomes his trauma, caused by the catastrophic culmination of European modernity in German National Socialism, through strength. He has long expressed his physical strength in bodybuilding, he lives his performative strength as a Hollywood actor, exercised his political strength as the 38th Governor of California, and he uses his mental strength in the fight against anti-Semitism and his commitment to Israel, accepting or not realizing that he is an agent of political and cultural oppression tactics.
The fourth sculpture is revolving around the highly controversial 'Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem' project, which has been planned on the site of Mamilla since the early 2000s and now exists as a building but is still not fully open to the public. The museum is supposed to promote tolerance between people and cultures but stands on the remains of one of Islam's most important cultural-historical burial sites. In her exhibition, Nadia Perlov employs sculpture, video, drawing, and photographic collage to show the instrumentalization of memory and question concept of tolerance.
Saturday, 28 September 2024, 5pm
Opening
Welcome
Johanna Balderhaar (1st chair)
Welcome
Carl-Hendrik Staal (Honorary Mayor of the City of Neuenhaus)
Introduction
Muriel Meyer (Artistic Director)
Sunday, 29 September 2024, 3pm
Curator's tour with Muriel Meyer
Sunday, 20 October 2024, 11am
Artist talk & Brunch
With Nadia Perlov and Muriel Meyer
Sunday, 3 November 2024, 3pm
Sunday, 1 December 2024, 3pm
Visit of the Jewish cemetery in Neuenhaus
With Christa Pfeifer (Co-founder and 1st chairwoman of the association Günter Frank Haus Neuenhaus, Board Member kvgb)
Registration required: +49 5941 98019 or info@kvgb.de
Kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim
Hauptstraße 37
49828 Neuenhaus, Germany
Curated by Muriel Meyer
Supported by:
Stiftung Kunstfonds, Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien, das Niedersächsische Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur, Stadt- und Samtgemeinde Neuenhaus, Material für Alle Frankfurt am Main
