MOZAIK ArtHub’s Episode 1 Kicks Off at the International Art Colony in Hungary
The International Art Colony, a project by the Interkulti Association for the Promotion of Intercultural Dialogue, is hosting two visual artists—one Palestinian and one Jewish—for a transformative month-long filmed art residency.
[May 30, 2024] – Hungary: In these tumultuous times of war and destruction, with escalating conflict in the Middle East, the MOZAIK initiative emerges as a beacon of hope. Episode 1 of the MOZAIK initiative aims to demonstrate how art can serve as a powerful tool for fostering intercultural dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect.
This residency takes place in a serene, picturesque rural village in Hungary, providing a neutral and relaxed atmosphere essential for fostering creativity and dialogue amidst nature. While the art residency does not aim to provide political answers, it serves as a catalyst for raising questions and nurturing collective contemplation.
The collaborative efforts of the two artists will unfold through artistic creation, thoughtful discussions, and engaging joint programs, all geared toward encouraging creativity and dialogue. Their work will culminate in a joint exhibition, hosted by the Joseph Károlyi Foundation at the historic Károlyi Palace in Fehérvárcsurgó, focusing on the theme “Identities: A Visual Dialogue.“
This exhibition will explore the complexities of identity through their artworks, prompting viewers to reflect on the interconnectedness of personal and collective narratives within the broader context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
To extend the impact further, the entire art residency will be filmed, documented, and shared on YouTube. This multimedia approach ensures that the project reaches a broad audience, promoting understanding and dialogue across different communities.
Tal Gaosh (or Gaash)
born in 1968 in Petah Tikva (Israel) and currently living and working in Haifa, Israel, is a multidisciplinary artist and MFA graduate from the University of Haifa. Tal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art, a Visual Communication and Teaching Certificate from WIZO Academic Center, Haifa,
and has attended various prestigious art programs, including the “Community Creation Lab” at Givat Haviva Art Center and the Arab and Jewish Cultural Leaders course in Sachnin. Skilled in painting, sculpture, installation, glass painting, and other mediums, Tal currently serves as an Art Educator at the Haifa Museum of Contemporary Art and the youth program at the University of Haifa. In her free time, she is an art-tours guide.
Tal arrived at the Colony on May 23, 2024, and has already produced her first 3 artworks for the upcoming exhibition. She shared her thoughts before arriving at the residency: “Being born into a painful and complex country, I am an activist for common life and equal rights for all its inhabitants, out of mutual respect and recognition. This is also reflected in many of my artistic works, in various mediums. There are times, like now, when the challenge is particularly burdensome, and I am grateful for the opportunity to look at the bleeding wound from a distance, focusing on personal human and artistic connection as a possibility for a bridge and healing. I am very much looking forward to meeting my Palestinian artist colleague and spending time with him at the Art Colony.“
Tal Gaosh was selected for this project based on the recommendation of curator Ina Berkovic, gallery director of Beit Hagefen – The Jewish Arab Cultural Center in Haifa. Tal’s filmed art residency is sponsored by the Anna Lindh Foundation and is co-funded by the EU.
Tal Gaosh will be joined by Abed Abdi, a veteran Palestinian visual artist and curator at the International Art Colony.
Born in 1942 in Haifa (Mandate Palestine), Abed Abdi witnessed the Palestinian Nakba at age six when he and his family had to leave Haifa and seek refuge in the camps of Lebanon and Syria in 1948. They were allowed back to the homeland in 1951 following a family reunification request by his father, who had remained in Haifa.
Abdi graduated from the Fine Arts Academy in Dresden, Germany, where he was tutored by leading German artists and befriended notable figures such as Lea Grundig, a Jewish artist known for depicting the horrors of the Holocaust and World War II, who also served as his teacher at the Academy.
Abdi is renowned for his artworks depicting the Nakba and the refugee experience, and for creating the Land Day Monument, the first memorial monument in historical Palestine, in collaboration with his Jewish colleague Gershon Knispel. Abed Abdi has received the highest honours both in Palestine and in Israel, and is an honorary citizen of the city of Haifa. He also received an honorary mention by the Anna Lindh Foundation in 2008 for his role in fostering intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Med region.
The joint exhibition will be opened on the 15th of June, 2024.