Attending 2018
Solo show with the participation of Nava Frankel, HaKibbutz Gallery, Tel Aviv, curator: Yael Keini
The word ‘attending,’ chosen as the show’s title, has a twofold meaning: It designates both one’s intention to arrive somewhere and take part, but also attention paid to someone and our presence by their side. In the 4 of videos featured in the show, made jointly with performance artist Nava Frankel, the two artists place themselves in the time period preceding something, ahead of the ‘thing itself’. Seen mostly as prelude, in the show this span of time is detached from this original function, lending autonomy to preparatory steps.
Shot with a steady camera, the artists – or fragments of them – are seen in the studio, performing actions in preparation for ‘something’. They subject themselves to predetermined rules pertaining to the artistic medium of each, painting in Platek’s case, performance for Frankel. In one video they paint areas on their faces and hands that are within their field of vision; in another, they make their way around the studio by moving from object to object without ever touching the floor; in a third, they painstakingly blacken the floor on which they tread to seal it completely. Tasks become play – and vice versa.
A second body of work in the show comprises two series of paintings by Platek depicting nighttime imagery: Kibbutz Night, with paintings of street lights from various kibbutzim, and Sha'ar HaGai, where images of wildlife were painted from photos taken in camera traps. Hung at varying highs in the darkened gallery, the paintings are lit by fixtures foreign to a gallery setting. This, together with a high-contrast palette that makes it seem as though the motifs themselves emit light, creates a scene where things seem to appear and disappear. In addition, a small room dedicated to the gallery’s collection was closed off by Platek using date palm branches, like an enclosure of nature in the wild.
Video works all in collaboration with Nava Frankel, 2018 (In order of appearance): (1) Attending (excerpt) 17:23 min (2) Facing (excerpt) 14:18 min (3,4,5) Tracking (3 excerpts) 10:08
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