Art

Undeterred by protests over the war in Gaza, Christie’s is hosting a show of Israeli art

Exhibition of 70 artworks never before shown outside of Israel on view for a week at New York auction house

From left, Reuven Rubin’s <i>Olive Trees in the Galilee</i>, and Mordechai Ardon’s <i>A View of the Western Wall</i>, are on view at Christie's auction house in New York through March 1 as part of an exhibition of Israeli art never before shown outside the country.

From left, Reuven Rubin’s Olive Trees in the Galilee, and Mordechai Ardon’s A View of the Western Wall, are on view at Christie’s auction house in New York through March 1 as part of an exhibition of Israeli art never before shown outside the country. Courtesy of Phoenix Group via Christie’s

By Beth Harpaz February 23, 2024

Christie’s New York auction house is hosting a weeklong exhibition of 70 works of art that trace Israeli culture over the past century. The paintings, sculpture, drawings and video have never been shown outside Israel before.

The show takes place in the U.S. at a time of unprecedented anger toward the Jewish state over its military campaign in Gaza.

A Hundred Years of Art in Israel is on view at Christie’s Rockefeller Center headquarters and open to the public Feb. 24 through March 1.

The 70 pieces are from a collection of nearly 1,400 works of art owned by the Phoenix Group, a major Israeli financial services firm. The show marks the Phoenix Group’s 75th anniversary. Only two of the pieces on view will be sold, in an auction scheduled for May.

Yehudit Sasportas’ *September Nights* will be shown at Christie’s. Courtesy of Phoenix Group via Christie's

“Our art collection is an expression of the pride we take in our nation’s history, culture, and creativity,” Phoenix Group CEO Eyal Ben Simon said in a statement. “This exhibition of a century of Israeli art is an opportunity to share works we love with the world at the crossroads of the world, New York City.”

Show was planned before Oct. 7

The Christie’s show was planned long before the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel and the subsequent anti-Israel protest movement in the U.S. Demonstrations have repeatedly popped up all over New York City outside museums and hospitals, on campuses, and blocking bridges and roads. Art galleries have been targeted with vandalism, graffiti and poster campaigns; anti-Israel groups have also sought the removal of Jews serving on museum boards.

Asked why the auction house went ahead with the show given the fraught environment and potential security issues, Christie’s Americas chairman Marc Porter said by email: “We believe in the power of art to uplift humanity and bring about cultural enrichment and exchange across borders and political viewpoints. That is a central part of our mission and all of our various exhibitions worldwide.”

Porter added that the auction house is “always focused on the safety of our clients, staff, and the works of art we present, and take the appropriate measures at all times,” including “added security” for this exhibition.

Notable works

Mordechai Ardon’s *Venezia*. Courtesy of Phoenix Group via Christie's

One of the paintings to be sold in May is among the oldest works in the show: Reuven Rubin’s Olive Trees in the Galilee, a whimsical 1924 oil painting. The other piece to be auctioned is Mordechai Ardon’s 1970 oil on canvas, A View of the Western Wall, rendered in a soft, mosaic-like palette of blues, greens and grays with pops of red. Proceeds from the sale will go to support young Israeli artists.

Ardon and Rubin were part of the founding generation of Israeli artists; Ardon’s Venezia is also in the show.

Among the show’s other notable works are Yehudit Sasportas’ pen, ink and brush piece, September Nights, and David Reeb’s acrylic painting Camel/Time.

Additional highlights include Avigdor Arikha’s A Pause at the Easel, David Adika’s Leaves, Anna Tikho’s Jerusalem Pine Tree and Nurit David’s Landscape no. II.

David Reeb’s *Camel/Time*. Courtesy of Phoenix Group via Christie's

The Phoenix Group’s collection was established in the 1980s by the company’s then-CEO, Joseph Hackmey. Today it’s considered one of the finest and most comprehensive archives of 20th-century Israeli artists, on par with collections owned by museums. Its pieces have been featured at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the Ashdod Art Museum; some are now on view at the Ramat Gan Museum outside Tel Aviv, and others are in a permanent exhibition at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

The exhibit A Hundred Years of Art in Israel is open to the public Feb. 24 through March 1 at Christie’s, 20 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except Sunday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Beth Harpaz is a reporter at the Forward and manages the Bintel Brief advice column. She previously covered politics and breaking news for The Associated Press. Email: [email protected].

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