Azouz
Azouz
£49.00
Limited edition of 5
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Composer, Klezmer Clarinetist, Researcher, and Artist
As a collage artist, my work is necessarily a patchwork of diverse artistic influences that span generations and continents. Much of what I do is inspired by a range of historical artists, from the groundbreaking photography of Saul Leiter and intricate paper cuts of Yiddish Folk artists, to the vivid and surreal paintings of Leonara Carrington. This exhibition is a visual exploration of Jewish life, inviting viewers to rediscover the diversity of the diaspora’s past and present. Just as Yiddish Folk artists crafted intricate narratives with scissors and paper, I reimagine Jewish existence through a contemporary lens using a combination of digital tools, archival photographs, and abstract ink works.
Central to this exhibition are the themes of assimilation and cultural expression within the diaspora, and I delve into the nuanced and often complex relationships between different Jewish cultures and communities. It's an exploration of how different Jewish communities define cultural authenticity, influenced not only by their Jewish identity but also by the broader cultural contexts they inhabit. I draw inspiration from iconic locations, like New York, London, and a Jerusalem of the past which is forever out of reach, each which has played a pivotal role in the Jewish imagination. They serve as a canvas against which the stories of Jewish life I depict unfold. On a personal level they also allow me to explore the different Ashkenazi and Sephardi branches of my own family tree. Because so little is known about the Sephardi side, these works also allow me to imaginatively engage with a past which is now lost to us.
Another focus of this exhibition is an exploration of Judeo-futurist aesthetics. There is certainly a history to build on here, not only of Jews radically engaging with the very nature of the future, such as Isaac Asimov, but also those weaving a very Jewish path forward, such as Marge Piercy; writers and artists imagining a world that blends both the ancient and the yet to come, a place blessed with robots and golems, and one that offers imaginative solutions and not merely old dangers. In fact, images of the future are indeed ancient, and to our eyes prophetic visions, such as those of Ezequiel, can summon not only the sacred, but of monolithic holy machines of the future.
In my own work I in turn envision a world where tradition and innovation coexist seamlessly, a depiction of Jewish identity in a rapidly evolving world. This exhibition is a celebration of resilience, adaptation, and the enduring power of creativity.