During archeological excavations conducted in the city of Holon (1964-65) the remains of a prehistoric elephant were found: a mastodon that inhabited the area roughly 120,000 years ago, in the vicinity of what is now the site of the Israeli Center for Digital Art. The mastodon skeleton showed signs of having been butchered by human hands. This was a clear indication that a hunter-gatherer group, usually small in member numbers, had lived in this region also abundant with fresh water. The fresh water reservoirs had drawn wild horses, hippopotamuses, deer and elephants to the region, and all these were hunted by humans. This work reconstructs the mastodon as wild game proudly exhibited – but also reveals it as an oracle of grim and bleak tidings. The jump from prehistoric past to digital future evokes fantastical images of human life through far-reaching moments of time, and directs viewers to a past that far precedes any conflict or dispute regarding rightful ownership of this strip of land.
The CDA's archives are operating with the support of the Ostrovsky Family Fund and Artis
