Nine Days in Av – A Journey between the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan river
On the first day of Av (the evening of July 11th) artists Guy Briller and Ronen Eidelman will leave for a nine day journey throughout historic Eretz Yisrael-Palestina (land of Israel Palestine), traveling in the footsteps of past destructions and in fear of (god forbid) the destructions that could come.
“Nine Days in Av” is a journey that takes place in the current Israeli Palestinian situation.
Throughout the journey Briller and Eidelman will meet talk and listen to the different people who live between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. At these meetings, they will explore the different concepts and relevance to the past tragedies; causes and consequences.
Jewish tradition relates to the period of the journey The Nine Days” the first nine days of the Jewish month of Av, as a time of mourning and reduction of joy. The period culminates in Tisha B'Av (9th day of Av) which commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem and many other tragedies that came upon the Jewish people. According to tradition the Temple was destroyed because of Sinat Chinam - Baseless Hatred. During the journey the artists wish to bypass the hatred and replace it with Ahavat Chinam – Baseless Love.
The planned route will start in Jerusalem; will go west to Tel Aviv, south via Holon, Bat-Yam, and Ashdod to Bersheba and the Bedouin Diaspora, north to South Mount Hebron, Hebron and Gush Etzion, continuing through Palestinian territories (Area C). From there it will the route will continue through the Jordan Valley towards the Galilee visiting Maghar, Nazareth and Klil. Swinging south via the Mediterranean shore, to Binyamina an Modi’in and Bilin and then back to Jerusalem for Ninth of Av eve.
The journey will take place via a caravan (RV) that was converted into a mobile studio that includes solar powered electricity and full multimedia equipment. The mobile studio enables full-time interventions in diverse spheres – urban and open spaces, which will be transmitted in real time. The ride, meetings, events and everything that will happen during the nine days of the journey will be streamed through Internet video twenty four seven via the website set up for the project – a sort of “big brother” on wheels that will include in addition to the streaming live video, text updates (twitter) photos, and video clips edited on the road. The whereabouts of the caravan can also be followed via GPS system. However, in contrast to the “big brother” television show, Eidelman and Briller will be in movement, will meet fascinating people, have sincere conversation and will create interesting, real and honest content about our life here in this land.
A blog with texts, pictures and videos from a personal point of view of the artists and where anyone can comment and respond to the project will be created.
The journey will take place from the evening from July 11th -20th
The CDA's archives are operating with the support of the Ostrovsky Family Fund and Artis
