Manofim festival shines a light on Jerusalem’s art scene
Rooftop gardens, fusion music and urban wildlife take center stage as capital revels in its culture
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
September in Jerusalem brings not just selihot, the pre-High Holiday penitential prayers, but also the Manofim contemporary art festival.
Celebrating the city’s thriving art scene, the festival consists of dozens of events, exhibits and performances taking place all over town.
Manofim, which runs from Thursday, September 15 through to the following Thursday, is designed to draw viewers to different neighborhoods in the city, from traditional venues and cultural centers to alternative spaces, places in nature, private homes and industrial areas.
The opening night of the festival features several exhibitions and events held throughout the evening, accessed by one of the free shuttle buses organized by Manofim that are available from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m.
Head to the Clal Building on Agrippas Street near the Mahne Yehuda market for an interactive tour of the “Touching Building” exhibit created by artist Axel Ewald with students from Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. The tour will take visitors through the dark and deserted parts of the spiral-designed Clal building, which was built in the 1970s as an upscale shopping center and office structure but is now considered an architectural failure though it is still in use. 97 Jaffa Street, 7 p.m.
There’s an evening of visual art, installation, performance and poetry at “Weird to be a Woman” in homage to the poet Zelda. 15 Abraham Elmaliach Street, 8:30 p.m.
Ziv Yehezkel, a musician and self-taught Arabic speaker will perform his signature sounds of classical Arabic music fused with pop, rock and jazz. Musrara School of Art courtyard, HaAyin Het Street, 8 p.m.
On Friday, September 16, make an Artist’s Appointment to meet and speak to the the artists working in studios around Talpiot. Appointments can be made online for meetings at The Jerusalem Artists’ Studios, The New Gallery Artists’ Studios Teddy and Studio of Your Own. Talpiot studios, Friday, September 16, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Manofim heads outdoors on Saturday, September 17, with workshops for the whole family. Try wildife drawing with Amir Balaban, the founder of the Jerusalem Bird Observatory at 10:30 a.m., make pinecone owls in an art workshop for toddlers at 1 p.m, and take a 2 p.m. urban wildlife tour in the Rose Garden to understand the struggle between crows and owls. Saturday, September 17, Jerusalem Bird Observatory and Rose Garden, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Later in the Manofim takes a look at Asael Street in Abu Tor with “House Project: Stories Made by God,” to explore the two sides of the street in this seam-line neighborhood of Arabs and Jews. Using artworks, video and music, the event will take participants into private homes in order to tell the story of the city’s unique tapestry. Asael Street, Abu Tor, Tuesday, September 20, 5 p.m.-11 p.m.
On Manofim’s final day, visitors can get a sense of Nahlaot, currently one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods beloved by hipster families and university students alike. Take part in creating a recycled art installation with Agripas 12 Gallery and Wild Kids Animation (4:30 p.m.), followed by an urban poetry reading with a light and sound show (7 p.m.) Even Yisrael Square, Nahlaot, Thursday, September 22, 4:30 p.m – 8 p.m.
There will be a final tour of the Clal Building just up the block, run by Muslala, one of the city’s alternative art organizations, which will show off its latest creation, The Terrace, a rooftop urban garden. 97 Jaffa Street, 7 p.m.
The festival’s closing event is “Spiral Canon,” a cacophony of choirs taking place in the Clal building, with local singers performing in multiple languages and rhythms. Clal Building, 97 Jaffa Street, 8:30 p.m.
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