2023b



The Altar Hearth, 2nd Movement: Inners Court
“Inners Court” refers to the the inner court of the Temple according to Ezekiel’s vision. It’s adjacent to the "Holy of Holies". A courtyard for gatherings and rituals, a place of offerings. In my imagination, all these are quiet. Even in the sacrifice offerings, one hears others breath.

What can an object absorb over time; what does it repel, and what remains stable on its surface; how to care and nourish it; is there an end to this process? Does a point come when it becomes a 'perfect object' ? Or perhaps it transforms into an organ: part of a whole,  constituted with attributes, performing a specific function.



The need to define a space to host these reflections led to the creation of a concept: Constempllation. A Constempllation is a ‘system of materialized contemplations’. The word is a portmanteau of "constellation" and "contemplation".

“Inners Court” was the first attempt to create a constempllation, and thus explored two fundamental questions: (1) What are the material or energetic-physical conditions to "hold onto a reflection"? (conditions of possibility); (2) What are the threshold conditions for a "constempllative" experience? (conditions of existence). To the right of the entrance door to “Inners Court” a "silencing mechanism" was placed: Four acoustic elements (compressed foams) with several functions related to their absorbent quality. One is preventing echoes in the room ("drying"), and the other is that silence prevails near them. Thus, the guest (the spectator) in “Inners Court” passes through this silence.

In the depths of “Inners Court” a "withdrawal (or prevention) mechanism" was placed: A round LED lamp, the only light source of “Inners Court”, strong enough to push the guest away. on it an ‘organ’ was placed.
components local construction sand (coastal plain), galvanized L-shaped corner angles, galvanized steel screws, painted iron profile, MDF boards, Formica, clamps, acoustic elements (compressed black foam), lint (from a cloth dryer), round LED lamp (6500K), studio speaker stand, water, leveling tube, glue, charcoal, frosted glass ceiling lamp shade philosopher Menahem Goldenberg exhibited Studio No. 2 (Bezalel Academy of Art and Desing, MFA Studio), Tel Aviv, Israel


 Thank you Menahem Goldenberg, Moshe Ninio