Nechama Levendel

Lives and works in Ein Hod artists’ village, Israel.

Rote Faden / Le fill rouge
Looking into ones library is comparable to observing a detailed landscape painting. Its size and location of the library, the way the books are placed, the topics chosen ,similar or diverse - changing in time by each individual and generation. those all together creates a tapestry - a glance into one soul.

During winter 2000 during the art residency , while wondering in the flee market off Dusseldorf, i had noticed a pile of books laying aside the road. little had i known of their list of contents, I gathered the books and carried them to the studio creating my first book object which paved the way for the next years to come .creating paintings & objects made out of books. To mark 20 years of working with the book, weaving my personal tapestry of life i’m working on a project using the term “Rote Faden” “le fill rouge” where a thread of attachment and affection links and connects all together, in an effort to characterize the whole.

About the work
In todays digital era books are given or thrown away from personal or public libraries. The work that i do is done in tow dimensions, objects from the contents of the book and paintings made out of torn book covers and blank pages. By placing layers of pages using color of time shown on them. Emphasizing transitions and delicate nuances in-between pieces. I found the limitation of the material rewarding using nothing els besides books and glue.