Aiming high at the lowest point on earth
The Dead Sea is one of the most beautiful attractions in Israel and the world .The Dead Sea and the Judean desert encompasses a unique blend of dramatic landscape, historical and archaeological sites, mineral industry, advanced agriculture farming and exceptional tourism. Over the last part of the 20th century, the Dead Sea sea level has been receding. The lack of water flowing from the Jordan River, the dry desert climate and the Dead Sea industrial works, all contribute to the vast changes in the sea basin, to the retreating shores, the appearance of sink-holes and to the damage of the infra-structure .The sink-holes open in places which have layers of salt underground.*
The video "The origin of the world" 2018 by the artist Odelia Elhanani, is based on a satellite photograph of a sink-hole in the Dead Sea while white clouds are transplanted above. The slow motion and calm movement of the clouds are reflecting the constant passage of time. This video is referring to the changes caused to the environment during time. This video is a part of an installation project that combined two tapestries which were embroidered jointly with a group of Bedouin women, copying satellite photographs of the Dead Sea: one from 1958 and one from 2000.
Behind Elhanani's latest works is the idea of joint art projects with disadvantaged communities. With the help of The Association for the Advancement of Women**, Elhanani made contact with a Bedouin women embroidery group from the village of Laqia.
*Dov Litvinoff, Tamar Regional council, Dead Sea.
** "Desert Embroidery"- a small cottage industry, producing traditional embroideries for the association , was established by Bedouin women in order to empower them, to protect the traditional hand work and to develop employment for the women.
***Video assistance: Ayala Drori.