Jerusalem is finally getting its Biennale this fall. As fitting for an event like that, it will focus on contemporary Jewish arts especially the kind of art, which defines us as Jews in a non-religious context.

Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
This fall will mark the first time ever Jerusalem will host a Biennale. As fitting for an event like that, it will focus mainly on contemporary Jewish arts especially the kind of art, which defines us as Jews in a non-religious context.

Ram Ozeri is the visionary who in his head saw this biennale happening and now he is more than happy to share with us, what is going to happen at the event.

Ram Ozeri, Founder, The Jerusalem Biennale:
We have an amazing opening night in the 16th of September, just before Sukkot, we’ll have here the exhibition itself, but we’ll also have many performance artists, a dance group that does contemporary Jewish dance and we’ll have the exhibition itself which is made of contemporary Jewish artists, mainly Israelis but not only, bringing the best art that is created today, these days and reflects some of the Jewish issues, some of the Jewish world of content.

Renowned visual artist, Tobi Kahn, is bringing his art from the US to the biennale, as he explains to us how for him Jerusalem is like a great piece of art.

Tobi Kahn, School of Visual Arts, New York:
I think Jerusalem is like a performance, you can feel, you know, everything happening here at the same time. I’m looking out right now, it’s such an even and beautiful light and I think light plays such an important role in not only Jewish life but in all life, that to me is unbelievably Jewish and I’m thrilled to be a part of an exhibition that has street art in it, that has, you know, this show is going to be in five different venues and I like that. Again, it’s not telling you what you should be seeing as “Performance Art” and I like being part of something that has a lot of young artists, there’s going to be a lot of young artists here. I’ll be one of the older artists which is interesting, to put it mildly, but I like it, there’s so much energy, I think energy makes art more interesting.

Ozeri says his idea is to create a place for Jewish art from the heritage not religious point of view.

Ram Ozeri, Founder, The Jerusalem Biennale:
We want to exhibit art that reflects and refers to the Jewish world of content, it doesn’t have to be ‘Halachic’, it doesn’t have to be religious, it just have to be connected to our roots so I want to bring all those creative forces that create all around the world, and come from a Jewish point of view.

We asked Tobi Kahn what he see’s as Jewish art.

Tobi Kahn, School of Visual Arts, New York:
I think Jewish art, if you’re looking at your life through the lens of knowledge that you have as a Jew, so when I think about anything, my knowledge of Judaism seeps into the work in a very unconscious manner, and sometimes in a conscious manner. I like that conscious-subconscious intertwining.
I want the viewer to be changed by the experience. I don’t mind if five different people see five different things, I’m not a dogmatic artist, I won’t write a label, you know, this is about this, you should be experiencing this, I want you to be, you know, that to me interest me more as being in that zone.

Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
And with artists like Toby Kahn highlighting the newly created Jerusalem Biennale its is going to be a very interesting festival to attend
For JN1 I am Ron Jacobsohn in Jerusalem.