A fresh gallery space in Northern Israel presents a trichotomous exhibition
A concurrent multi-city exhibition is a portentous vision for presenting art. Mirpeset is bar-café-gallery just opened up in Haifa, northern Israel, presenting a debut exhibition in three cities simultaneously: an identical show runs over a month, having opened first in Haifa, last week in Tel Aviv and this week in St Petersburg, Russia. Mirpeset’s triple show showcases editions of new silskcreen print works by 12 currently vociferous Israeli voices in visual arts - among them Know Hope, (the ethereal artist recently signed up by Lazarides), Broken Fingaz (who we worked with on their show last year in London), as well as others with recognised acclaim both inside and outside the country, including Pilpeled and Keos. Mirpeset hosts a new exhibition every two months, with mutual support from friends and partners worldwide.
The St Petersburg show contributes to a programme organised by an intinerant radio bar project started in Tel Aviv: Teder FM Alongside live broadcasting and events happening at Taiga, on the banks of the Neva river, the same silkscreens will be seen by visitors in Russia until 30 June.
Mirpeset is just one of the cross-functional venues contributing to Haifa’s gypsy-led cultural evolution, hosting international artists alongside a roster of local favourites are concert bar Syrup, opened earlier this year; rub-a-dub cavern Barravento, and the clandestine Bordel.
This trifold show is another innovative example of young spaces rethinking the way art can be viewed. At last year’s armory, Brussels-based d.o.r franchised their gallery - visitors could buy the rights to open up new branches. Back in the day, Marcel Duchamp came up with the Boite-en-Valise, a suitcase containing a box containing 69 reproductions of the artists’ work, with a deluxe version containing an ‘original’. The idea piques the imagination, in its nostalgia for the traveling craftsman. While Duchamps’ conceptual traveling piece questions the value we place on an artwork exisiting in a pure, single form, the prospect of franchising exhibitions for real seems to be pragmatic way to meet the demands to grow always internationally, allowing organisers and artists to connect audiences with a single real-time production.
