3 arty projects to support before 2014
The Israeli Headstart and the US Kickstarter are two crowd-funding platforms that allow talents to promote their creative projects and that give you the opportunity you to fund them.
Since the New Year is approaching and is known for being a period of giving and of optimism, I’ve decided to share with you three arty projects I believe in, and which you should definitely check out if you’d like to contribute.
1. Alfred CoOp Art Institute (link)
Who are they?
Alfred Gallery is a cooperative gallery that was founded eight years ago by a group of young artists (today the members are: Adi Bezalel, Noa Lieberman, Yael Ben shalom, Dafna Gazit, Dvir Cohen Kedar, Efrat Gal, Michal Bendersky Bel, Gidi Smilansky, Adi Levy, Talya Raz, Rotem Ritov, Lior Schur). Their goal is to produce and exhibit art work free of reliance and considerations of the traditional and the commercial authorities of the art world.
What’s the plan?
“With a leap of faith we took on renting of an entire building in Neve Tzedek, Tel Aviv, in order to found the first Israeli Cooperative Institute for Arts and Culture. We see it as a place of community for artists and art and culture consumers, who will enjoy a whole array of facilities, services and activities.”
Until?
4 days to go!
What’s my opinion?
I truly believe in taking risks and making the impossible happen and this is exactly what the Alfred group is doing. Thanks to such dreams our city is becoming more and more creative and I think the exciting point here is the idea of creating a strong and alternative artistic community.
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2. Zalmania – A Book Of Portraits from The Prior PhotoHouse- by Sternthal Books (link)
Who are they?
“Over seven years ago I stumbled upon The Pri-Or PhotoHouse in Tel-Aviv on Allenby Street. I walked in out of curiosity, attracted by the amazing black and white images in the window display, but upon talking with Miriam Weissenstein about her life, and the photo studio she founded with her husband Rudi in 1940, I started coming back to film her. Miriam’s dream was to create a book of the many faces that were photographed in their studio, and for the last few years I have been engaged in the process of scanning portraits with the goal of creating a book, a digital book that will include the video footage I have shot, and travelling exhibitions.
To date I have scanned over 3,000 negatives, and In order to realize both mine and Miriam’s dream, I have turned to Kickstarter to help us fund this incredible undertaking.”
Ian Sternthal, Founder of Sternthal Books
What’s the plan?
To digitize portraits photographed at the Prior PhotoHouse and make a book!
Until?
27 days to go!
What’s my opinion?
I met Ian a few months ago and was immediately impressed by his publishing company (I even wrote about it here). The Zalmania is closed to my heart since it’s truly an icon of my favorite city, Tel Aviv, the shop is full of gems from the early years of Tel Aviv and I would love to see Ian’s project realized.
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3. SHALOSH (link)
Who are they?
SHALOSH is a Jerusalem and brooklyn based band.
The three of the band’s members (Gadi Stern, Matan Assayag and Daniel Benhorin) grew up in Jerusalem, and have been playing and performing together ever since they started making music. For the past six years they have been living and working in different countries, yet they were still able to keep on performing, creating and growing their musical relationship together.
What’s the plan?
“While each of us has created an individual career, we have been waiting for an opportunity to reunite and record a full length album of our original materials. This opportunity is happening now, and we are currently working intensively towards recording in a studio. This album is not a one time project, but a beginning of a band which will continue working for years to come (…) We are fully committed to the making of this album. Since we are aiming for the best recording possible, we decided to work in a high end studio, with a great producer we believe in.”
Until?
12 days to go!
What’s my opinion?
I’ve known Gadi, the band’s pianist, since our childhood and without being biased he and Shalosh are such talented and unique musicians. I’ve heard Shalosh playing at the Levontine bar a few weeks ago and it was an outstanding performance.
I usually only talk about plastic arts on the blog, but I think starting the new year on a musical note is a fantastic idea.
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Tell us, in the comments below, what are the projects you’re working on or funding these days?