Jérôme Zonder's graphic work is virtuoso and multi-faceted, in tune with his eye for the infinite flow of popular culture. For the mahJ, Jérôme Zonder has devised an installation that unfolds on the floor and walls of the contemporary gallery. The visitor is invited to wander inside the work itself, a vast game board to be explored square by square, before being locked in an endless cycle amidst the images.
In popular Jewish culture, a dybbuk refers to a wandering soul that takes possession of a living person, according to a belief that developed in Eastern Europe from the 18th century onwards. The dybbuk is one of those supernatural creatures that have gone beyond the realms of superstition to become a theme that inspires artists past and present. The mahJ is the first museum to explore the subject in a rich exhibition combining theatre, film, music, literature and popular culture.
The exhibition retraces the little-known career of dancer Paula Padani (1913-2001) through 120 photographs, posters and costumes. With her vision of movement as a force for life, and her ability to bounce between different countries and cultures, she blazed new trails for her art and played a pioneering role in the emergence of Israeli contemporary dance.
