New Exhibition at the
Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem
7 April – 31 October 2011
For the first time in nearly a decade, the Bible Lands Museum opens its doors to an exhibition of modern art. The exhibition, "INSPIRED - Manel Alvarez on the Bible", consists of a series of impressive sculptures in stone, iron, granite and wood on the theme of the Bible, by renowned Spanish sculptor Manel Alvarez, and opens to the public on April 7th.
It will include 17 monumental sculptures based on the stories and characters of the Bible, and will run for six months before continuing its journey to the United States.
The sculptures’ use of classic geometrical shapes in and outside the laws of symmetry, while creating tension between space and mass, are reminiscent of architectural structures. Consequently, the sculptures' connection to the biblical theme is metaphoric or associative, as can be seen for instance, in the sculptures of the tribes of Issachar, Zebulun and Ephraim, and the sculptures of Joshua and Saul. In more figurative sculpture, like that of Moses or of Joseph and his Brothers, the connection is more iconographic.
The largest and most impressive of the series is "The Tower of Babylon" - a magnificent cone shaped structure carved out of solid Carrara marble, stands 12 m. high. The power of this piece is in the mixed emotions it induces in the spectator - awe and wonder, at the massiveness of this structure that spins all of humanity around it. "The Tower of Babylon", along with "Ephraim", will be installed on the Museum’s entrance plaza and the remainder of the works will be inside the Museum and in the Biblical Garden.
The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem is the only museum in the world that presents the history and cultures of the Ancient Near East from a biblical point of view. Situated in the city's cultural heart, the Bible Lands Museum houses an extraordinary, priceless collection of ancient art and archaeology from the lands of the Bible showcasing the history of the ancient world from the dawn of civilization to the Early Christian Era. Rare gems, sculptures, and mosaics tell the story of the lands and people of the Bible. The collection, covering 21 permanent galleries and special exhibitions, allows a glimpse into the spiritual and material world of our ancestors. Along with the rare archaeological exhibits on display, the BLMJ also serves as a vibrant cultural center offering daily guided tours, weekly lectures, courses, musical evenings, family activities and much more.
www.blmj.org
Opening hours:
Sun., Mon., Tue., Thu. 09:30-17:30; Wed. 09:30-21:30; Fri. and holiday eves 09:30-14:00
Sat. 10:00-15:00.
Daily guided tours in English at 10:30 and on Wednesday at 17:30