New work for The Israel Craft and Design Biennale, 26 March 2020, curated by Henrietta Eliezer Brunner and Yuval Saar
Glass, copied and manipulated paper; lampworking
Text: Joshua Margolin, "Plant Life in Trials," Student's Manual, Leaf and Stem, Art Company Ltd., 1938; Quote by Culture Minister, Miri Regev at the pro-Netanyahu rally 26.11.19: "The rule of law is not above the law"
190-80 cm
Carefully selected local flora, linked to the Israeli Zionist ethos thanks to their implicit symbolism, are paired with skillfully manipulated quotes from historical or contemporary texts, adding another interpretative layer to Dafna Kaffeman's compositions. Beyond their stunning beauty, these crystalline renditions of botanical and entomological specimens resonate with the aesthetics and values of bygone days. Through hidden allegories, encoded messages and subtle metaphors, Kaffeman harnesses to her works contemporary political and social content, linking them to the Israeli reality with a unique poetic sensibility.
