Oneg Shabbat

First exhibition in the 21st Nidbach series

Moran Asraf’s exhibition explores the gap between the sacred, cyclic, weekly pleasure, and the encounter with the violent, painful reality. Alongside the cooking, cleaning, and other preparations, the prayers and the Sabbath hymns, there is also great tension, violent in its essence as well as its accompanying noises: scolding, broken dishes, and a general discontent of the laboring women.

The exhibition is a weave of concealment and covering, dealing with appearances. It delves into the gaps and chasms between that which is perceived as unity, and the attempt to pick up the pieces. The exhibition is composed of photographs of the artist’s mother, while the space is made up of objects, exposing this sacred day as a harsh reality.

Asraf, who personally lives this contradiction, strives to break tradition, to undermine the painful reality, and enjoy a new, hopefully better one.