Arts In Brief: Botticelli loaned to the Israel Museum

This rare fresco, the first work by Botticelli to be exhibited in Israel, is on display as a special loan from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence in honor of the State of Israel’s 65th anniversary.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Art 370 (photo credit: Chimes)
Art 370
(photo credit: Chimes)
Botticelli loaned to the Israel Museum
This rare fresco, the first work by Botticelli to be exhibited in Israel, is on display as a special loan from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence in honor of the State of Israel’s 65th anniversary. The Annunciation, created by Sandro Botticelli in the spring of 1481, originally hung over the entrance of San Martino della Scala, a hospital for those stricken with the plague. During renovations to the hospital structure during the 17th century, the fresco suffered considerable damage, and, in 1920, it was dismantled and moved to the Uffizi, where it underwent a thorough restoration process. Despite its considerable size of 243 x 553 cm. (8 x 18 ft.), it has served as an “ambassador” of the Uffizi on prior occasions, having travelled previously to Germany and China. It is on view at the Israel Museum from September 18, 2013, through January 10, 2014.
Shades of Dance winners
Choreographers Meyrav Dagan and Adi Butros will share the NIS 18,000 Creativity Prize, respectively, for I See them Approaching and What Really Annoys Me awarded by Shades of Dance 2013 that ended Saturday at the Suzanne Dallal Dance Center in Tel Aviv.
This year’s themes were ceremony and ritual in honor of the 100th anniversary of Stravinsky’s Rites of Spring. Dagan’s work on commemoration was “bursting with original ideas and presented an extreme vision…,” while Butros’ piece “linked the personal and the political.”
The artistic director was Idit Herman, co-founder of the avant-gard Clipa Theater, and this year’s festival, inaugurated by Suzanne Dallal’s general manager Yair Vardi, was the 17th.
Holy city art
American painter and sculptor Tobi Kahn, renowned for his meditative and sacred art, will join other international and Israeli artists exhibiting in the first Jerusalem Biennale for Contemporary Jewish Art, which will take place from September 16. The Biennale will be spread across five locations in the city – the Achim Chasid complex at 45 Emek Refaim Street; the First Station; Heichal Shlomo, Beit Avi Chai and Musrara.
Lights, action... Portugal
The Portuguese Film Festival will take place September 7 to 24 at the Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem and Rosh Pina cinematheques, presenting films created by young Portuguese directors, as well as well-established ones. Dalila Carmo, the lead actress of the opening film, Florbela, will be present at the screening.For more info visit www.cinema.co.il.