Hi there!
I was delighted to be invited back to the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem to write about some new exhibits. In my previous post, I gave some background on the historical location of this splendid museum. Today, I am happy to dive straight into the current exhibits.
Trip Itinerary Options
London in Jerusalem: Exhibition - a tribute to the British Mandate
Rock Paper Scissors – a great summer activity for children and a tribute to the artist Karen Sargsyan.
The new night show – a tribute to King David
Trip Anchors
London in Jerusalem: Exhibition
When the British Mandate took over Jerusalem in 1917 from the Ottoman Empire, they found a very poor city, rampant with cholera and no sewage system or electrical lighting to speak of. The exhibition in the Tower of David Museum is a second tribute to the British Mandate who not only brought orderliness, but also contributed to the cultural life of the residents. It is a second tribute because their previous exhibition that I wrote about “A General and A Gentleman – Allenby at the Gates of Jerusalem” is still ongoing.
The new exhibition brings to life the famous ‘Fink’s bar’, where you can take a seat and play some interactive games.
Or you can enter the pseudo-cinema and watch a short film about the old-time favourite cinames of Jerusalem and what they used to play.
Check out the floor if you want to learn the dance steps of the roaring 1920’s swing or just take a peek at a sample salon that pays tribute to the famous cellist Thelma Yelin (Bentwich), (no relationship) whose invitations for high tea were a well-known practice.
Rock Paper Scissors
I got a sneak peek at the artist, Karen Sargsyan who will be staying all summer in Jerusalem and will be holding workshops for children at the museum teaching them some paper sculpting techniques. Most importantly, entrance for children will be FREE from July 15th - Aug 30th, 2018.
During my preview visit only one statue was in place. In order to ensure durability in the open-air, it was created from aluminum foil, instead of regular paper, but other statues in his exhibit will be made of paper.
In the photo below, the artist Karen Sargsyan and Efrat Lieber, Director and Chief Curator extended their welcome to you.
However, I finally managed to get a good facial (and keepsake), by requesting a selfie.
Karen Sargsyan is an Armenian born artist who studied in the Rijksakademie in Holland where he lives till this day. His works have been displayed in well recognized museums worldwide including the Tate Modern in London and the Centre Pompidou in Metz.
Post Visit Note: I returned again with my daughter and her friend to the grand opening of the workshops. We enjoyed the workshop, seeing the full exhibition of statues and the atmosphere in general. I included in my video some of the live music that was played by a band called ‘Poly Zosiball’. I’ve added a photo and video to share with you.
and
The King David Night Show
For those who have already seen the night spectacular show that presents the story of Jerusalem, the new ‘King David’ show presents an alternative. The new video art show brings together all the effects that modern technology can bring. It covers a square footage of ~3,850 m2 and uses over 20 laser projectors to light up the citadel.
The tribute to King David presents the Biblical stories in a virtual tour that manages to combine renowned works of art by Chagall, Matisse, Michelangelo while drawing inspiration from the Book of Psalms. David himself plays on the flute and lyre. Credit goes to the creators: Skertzo company, France, original music: Alexandre Levy, sound effects: Jean Goudier and curator of the show: Renee Sivan. The show lasts 45 minutes in the open air.
I’m not going to ruin it by sharing a video. Instead, I’ll conclude with my best Citadel Tower photos.
Food
A few nearby restaurants include: ‘The Eucalyptus’, ‘Tala Hummus and Falafel’, ‘Rossini’s Restaurant’, ‘Versavee’, ‘Samara Restaurant’, ‘Luciana’, ‘Armenian Tavern’, ‘Rooftop’, ‘Notre Dame Rooftop Cheese and Wine’ and ‘The Spaghettis Kosher Italian Dairy Restaurant’.
Accomodation
A few suggestions include: ‘Gloria Hotel’, ‘Dan Boutique Jerusalem’, ‘David Citadel Hotel’, ‘Mamilla Hotel’, ‘National Hotel Jerusalem’ and ‘Eldan Hotel’.
My Timeline
This trip filled up an evening between 17:30-22:00.
I used the previous map, which was based on a location in the old city (The Western Wall) and a location in the new city (King George Street) so that you can see that the Tower of David Museum is situated between the two parts of the city.
This is what it looks like on the map:
In case you missed it, entrance for children will be FREE from July 15th - Aug 30th, 2018.
Have a great summer!
Talma
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