ART + CULTURE
NADAV CASPI
28.01.19
Throughout the years, furniture design has grown to be more than just functional – it has been converted into a kind of art.
It’s a form of art that needs to “interface with the human body,” Nadav Caspi, an industrial designer who specializes in the production of fine furniture, explains. Caspi likes to create functional pieces, yet he believes the final design should stand out as a sculpture itself. With a totally different attitude towards design, he creates furniture that is able to transform spaces.
Caspi converts his unique ideas into fine and practical creations, from a curved and elegant metal kitchen scale to a juggling wooden shelf with modular book holders. He integrates computerized processing alongside classical carpentry, a forward-thinking style that personifies his innovative roots.
During his studies as an industrial designer, Caspi became fascinated with the idea of making something that people will take into their homes and make part of their everyday lives. His first piece of furniture was a chair. “It’s an object that serves a simple function: to sit. Yet, it is very complex,” he says. This was a turning point that encouraged him to pursue furniture design as a career.
Caspi is now working on new projects combining textiles and wood that focus on both functionality and aesthetics. He applies deep technical knowledge as he integrates his experience as an industrial designer alongside the traditional manual work of making furniture. Caspi mainly uses wood, iron and concrete, believing the combination of the three can create a perfect contrast when used in the right way.
MAGPIE GOOSE
20.11.18
Magpie Goose is a waterbird species with an eagle-like beak, partially webbed feet and a long thin neck. It looks like the combination of a goose, a swan and an eagle.
Magpie Goose is also Hila Herman’s distinctive fashion brand; and just like the bird, the thought process behind her collections is a constant fusion of ideas, situations and states of being. It deals with structure and movement, standing out and blending in, the emotional and the rational, femininity and masculinity.
“A new collection is always a reflection of where I am and what interests me. A collection is always made for me, and whomever can relate to what I feel”, says Hila Herman.
For the Fall/Winter 2018-2019 collection “Inside Out” is about clothes that give a cozy look and feel, yet at the same time, ensemble a flawless and elegant presence. Bold and sophisticated, Hila’s designs reveal the ultimate turtleneck shirts, oversized coats, midi-skirts, and strong geometric cuts in a black and beige color pallet.
You can visit Magpie Goose’s shop on Retzif Haaliya Hashniya 3, Jaffa Port [open Sunday-Thursday 11-18, Friday 10-16, and occasionally open on Saturdays],
or shop the collection on her e-shop.
URI BURI
18.12.17
Uri Buri was brought up in a full and lively house in the northernmost coastal city of Israel, Nahariya. His mix of creativity and autodidactic life experience has taught him how to make food with amusement and passion, acquiring industry recognition and most importantly, as he says, gaining friends along the way.
Since a very young age, Uri understood that school was not his natural habitat and his nature was similar to that of an explorer. As a result, he spent a lot of time at the beach, exposing himself to the world of diving and undersea fishing, bringing home a vast amount of fish and developing great knowledge of cooking.
At the age of 16, Uri travelled all over Europe, hitchhiking and taking short-term jobs with high incomes. He managed to buy a Volkswagen van and turn it into his home. “During my van journeys around the world, I started cooking for myself. The travelers heard that somebody was cooking in a blue Volkswagen and were happy to join the meal,” Uri shares with us.
With his return to Israel, Uri began cooking for his friends and relatives, developing his own cooking style with basic raw materials – nevertheless, it was the hottest thing on the radio all over Europe and at home.
In 1988, Uri founded his own restaurant (among other things such as the heavenly Efendi Hotel) called “Uri Buri”. The restaurant is located in a historic and modest Ottoman building, alongside the serene beach line in the old city of Akko.
Cooking for friends is Uri’s renowned and favorite style. Whoever comes into the restaurant, goes out as a friend. Uri Buri is all about basic dishes, flat aesthetics and no unnecessary decorations. Waiters are nice and the joint tasting meal is highly recommended.
“A dish that is not to the client’s liking is replaced with no need for explanation. It is easier to throw away a dish than to lose a dinning friend,” says Uri.
TOMER NACHSHON
06.11.17
Tomer Nachshon is a top Israeli architect and furniture designer, known and admired for his raw and sleek designs. Nachshon grew up in his father’s light & sound system workshop in Haifa, discovering the world of craftsmanship and vibrant innovation. It was there that he gained experience in carpentry and materials, and became fascinated with the joy of creating products, dealing with spaces and working with his own hands.
The knowledge and working methods of the material became a skill for Nachshon over the years, and they were met with architecture studies at the Technion, The Israel Institute of Technology. At that point, it all started—Tomer discovered a broader scope for understanding the scale of furniture—the technical knowledge met with the theoretical and architectural.
Tomer Nachshon furniture represents the natural world, using truly authentic and unprocessed materials. He believes that if the design is precise enough, it can bare its natural marks—just like a person who takes pride in his or her scars. Tomer embraces the marks of the raw material, and creates a unique narrative for every product.
“The materials I use belong, in my point of view, to the same family, they speak the same language; wood, metal, leather, rock and cement. With full profiles, that allows sharp clean edges”. The steel frame appears in almost all of the items and is transformed into a consistent slender graphic line drawn in space.
“You start with nothing more than an idea or a story, which you can transform into something beautiful. Furniture is a type of design—as in architecture, furniture changes spaces and you are creating it yourself”, Nachshon tells Telavivian.
Nachson evolves the classic technics he has learned from his father with new modern technics thanks to the availability of computer-based technologies. All the while, Nachshon puts the handy work and craftsmanship at the forefront of his creations. The designer’s furniture reveals a minimalistic approach and a graphic appearance which allows, through sophisticated fine details, to compliment different surroundings.
Nachshon’s work is produced in-house for private, residential or office projects and exhibited in local galleries like Gloria Mundi and Saga. Nachshon is also creating one-of-a-kind pieces for the new luxurious Vera Hotel. All the materials—such as solid European Oak wood—seem to be floating over expressive light based frames which correspond to the art on the walls.
The designer’s role models include great architects and furniture designers like Charles and Ray Eams, Jean Prouvé and Thomas Heatherwick. Today, Tomer Nachshon is also a teacher of architectural planning and interior design courses at the Israel Institute of Technology. He believes “architecture is a big umbrella that covers many areas of design” and continues to prove himself by innovating and creating furniture that elaborates and transforms spaces.
EATS CAFETERIA
18.10.17
In a city full of inventive culinary concepts, easy dining and laidback eateries serving excellent food, Eats cafeteria is a true original. Eats focuses on healthy living and enjoyment, with delicious food the center of everything.
Inspired by cafeteria style eateries in London and New York, Michal Epstein and Yonatan Koevary created a menu that changes daily, offering an assortment of (light, fresh) foods and snacks. Hungry customers can expect a bountiful selection of seasonal produce and a variety of flavorsome meals—from tasty pastries and freshly baked scones that are perfect for a sweet morning, to a medley of zesty salads, colorful juices, hot dishes and homemade pizza during the evenings.
Upon entry, Eats customers are greeted with the wonderful aroma of its signature banana bread and a relaxing cool playlist. The cafe is gorgeously simple and embodies the kind of atmosphere that will make customers feel comfortable dining while with a group of friends or on their independent own. We say, biteh avon!
WORKSHOP
17.07.17
WorkShop is a collaborative hub dedicated to the creative community, located at the edge of Tel Aviv’s Florentine—the neighborhood where all artistic visionaries meet. Founded by Uri Segal, Offer Zehavi and Amit Davidov, this shared workspace has reinvented the freelancing concept by setting up a culture that encourages designers to learn, grow and empower each other. Monthly lectures and personal mentors bring passion into the studio, giving members an opportunity to pursue their respective crafts and leave inspired.
The space consists of three levels of fully equipped workshops and offices—quiet spaces to work, photography studios, sewing machines for designers, gold and silversmith supplies for jewelry makers, in-house computer stations complete with adobe, autocad, 3D rendering and more. On top of all that (pun intended), WorkShop has an open urban rooftop!
In its entirety, WorkShop is all about encouraging its community to innovate, create and share ideas with the most unique and talented professionals in the city.
AI WEIWEI
14.07.17
For the first time in Israel, China’s renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei is exhibiting his well known monumental structures and dramatic installations at the Israel Museum—turning history into art that is strikingly visible and memorable.
The exhibition Maybe, Maybe Not addresses contemporary issues by exploring commonalities between civilizations and the perception of the individual in parallel with his or her collective culture. Among others, Sunflower Seeds features millions of seeds sculpted from porcelain and painted by hand. This work conveys the mass production that is often associated to Chinese manufacturing at the same time, each seed represents the individuality of the artisan that created it.
Throughout his work, the artist investigates government corruption, and as a political activist, he developed a critical eye toward structures of power. In 2011, Ai Weiwei was imprisoned without a trial by Chinese authorities—regardless, he refuses to remain silent. Ai asks us to consider what we value, why we value it and brings awareness to basic principles such as freedom of expression and human rights.
HOTEL NORDOY
30.06.17
Hotel Nordoy is a destination, a local icon and a cultural gem located in the heart of Tel Aviv. Operating since 1925, it is the oldest active hotel in the city and unlike any other, its original landmark has preserved its character and its charm, allowing guests to immerse into the city’s true essence.
The building is located in Nahalat Binyamin, which architect Yehuda Megidovich created when Tel Aviv was still known as Ahuzat Bayit, bringing an aesthetic harmony to the city—passionate like the east and refined like the west. The interiors are wonderfully dressed with European elegance and Arabesque ornamentations. Among them are lively artworks, modern furnishings, classic fabrics and floor-to-ceiling arched windows that overlook the city’s excitement.
Despite its central location, the hotel is surprisingly serene, spacious and sophisticated. To top it off, there is a quiet rooftop where you can enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of wine with a stunning view of the city that is right beneath you.
YOUVAL HAI
15.06.17
Jaffa-born Youval Hai uses photography as a medium to document his fascination for ordinary elements—showing us the world through his own lens. Hai’s photographs capture things that are often missed, exploring light in new forms and finding meaning in the things that others can’t see.
Along with his latest solo exhibition, Dust & Scratches, curator Nogah Davidson conveyed how his works are ‘the photographs of a man who walks everywhere with a camera, documenting his life intensively.’
Youval spent some of his childhood growing up in Boston, where he found himself captivated by his Dad’s Nikkormat camera from the 70s. ‘I think that living abroad made me a nostalgic person. I became sensitive to all the things I was missing from home—sights, smells, sounds—and wanted to document things before they disappeared.’
Inspired by bits and moments with his wife and children, previous relationships, human phenomenons and everyday observations, Hai has gathered an alternative kind of photographic truth.
MOLET
24.05.17
‘When wood is turned into pallets, those pallets have a very specific purpose. The problem is that once that purpose is served, it’s all over for them’. Molet started out as a design concept by a group of friends who wanted to expand this cycle. They were building new furniture made from recycled wood, giving these pallets a new purpose.
Founders Ari Liberson, Eli Saar, Asaf Etzion and Julieta Liberson remind us about the creative things we are capable of doing—and that’s what Molet’s DIY workshops are for. They welcome everyone and anyone who wishes to have a unique piece of furniture, designed and created by yourself.
Molet also works with architects and designers, doing eco-social tailor made projects. Here at Telavivian, we built MOLET number 458 and became part of an amazing community who foster the art of repurposing—you can be next!
AMIT GERON
21.05.17
The charm of Amit Geron‘s photography lies in the way the artist portrays the essence of the structures he chooses to capture, and the value behind these spaces created within the world of architecture.
One can observe that Geron’s creative process stems from a desire to emphasize presence, textures and the finish of the materials through diversified depths. Geron found a way to infuse the relationship between an individual and pronounced 3D objects through the inclusion of people in some of his photographs.
By the time Geron finished his studies at the Bezalel Academy of Art, it was a struggle for early architectural and fine art photographers to be recognized. However, after two years, he managed to communicate his unique point of view by capturing the construction and dismantlement of colossal steel factories. There, he discovered his passion.
LIRAZ
17.05.17
Israeli actress and model Liraz Charhi has conquered the local music scene with a fresh genre that blends the Los Angeles beat scene with the ethnic flair of her Persian roots. Not only is Liraz bringing an irresistible glamour onto the stage but she is also a voice of revolution.
Liraz is aiming to bridge the connections between her musical projects and the painful memories of her family’s emigration to Israel during the brink of the Iranian Revolution. A sense of liveliness, vibrancy and strength is translated into her songs as she is representing hidden voices from suppressed women in Iran and continues to collaborate with artists who are forbidden to sing in their homeland.
We are personally thrilled with her album Naz, which is part of a groundbreaking project alongside Tel Aviv’s acclaimed producer, Rejoicer, and showcases nothing less than a true mix of talent.
RUTI DE VRIES
07.05.17
Ruti De Vries is a Tel Avivian artist with a boundless ability to create richly decorated installations, minimalistic sculptures and dreamy animations using everyday materials. Her conceptual crafts include fascinating ritual sites and spaces of ethnic and religious adoration.
Some installations—like the huge matrimonial bed made out of heavy, black garbage bags and the overly decorated wedding venue—echo a romantic ideal. “This corny essence remains as a tacky fantasy, perishable as the feeble materials it is made of,” she says.
The artist portrays a powerful relationship between the animal and the human being through four-legged creatures and tackles the narrow perception towards women with the inclusion of Japanese female warriors. She defines her art to be rich, grotesque or even kitsch by nature.
De Vries has had numerous exhibitions and is currently showcasing her solo show,Wild Heart, at HaKibbutz gallery.
ART BY ALEF
07.04.17
Israeli artist Alef is buying plastic toy animals in knick-knack shops from his Tel Aviv neighborhood, Florentin, and turning them into fine art. Altering them is a way of treasuring the small-scale and finding beauty in the ordinary. “If we continue to pollute the world the way we are, we will be fossilized into plastic. I want my art to make people feel happy and thankful to be alive and I want to make a change for the better”, the artist says.
Alef’s colorful artworks can be found in private collections in New York, London, Madrid, Athens, Tel Aviv and now in Herzliya. His current project,Bubblegumjungle, is being displayed in an abandoned watch shop at the Arena Herzliya Mall in collaboration with the Banksy tribute exhibition, Tell a Story. The project is curated by Ari Marrache and will run until April 18th, alongside six other talented Israeli artists.
NEW CO-WORKING SPACE IN TOWN
29.03.17
Two very talented childhood friends, Adi Mor and Dana Arnon, came together to open an intimate shared workspace for all of those who consider themselves to be curious, ambitious and innovative. They both developed their professional career in the fields of design—architecture and graphic design—where they experienced what it’s like to work independently.
BOAZ NOY
31.03.17
Israeli painter Boaz Noy has the ability to turn a white canvas into a masterpiece with an outstanding color palette. A sharp use of colors, space and light is echoed in his paintings through abstract landscapes and powerful portraits.
Noy is a contemporary artist with a resilient ambition to create and exhibit impressive artworks using oil in a distinctive tactile manner. The artist’s honest observation of life and reality aims to portray an emotional essence throughout his pieces.
His references vary from the greatest post-impressionist, Cézanne to his friends and colleagues within the art community.
QUARTER TO AFRICA
27.03.17
What started out as a duo in 2014 is now a high-energy mix of talented musicians that are able to fuel up an entire festival. Quarter to Africa is composing electric Afro-Arab grooves for “people of all colors and of all ages—people from all around the world”. The source of their vibe moves between composition and improvisation, combining jazzy sax tunes and funky beats.
The soulful band was created under three main principles: love, unity and friendship—and they’ve done an amazing job of building a devoted fan base within the international and local music industry. Quarter to Africa has performed across Israel’s major festivals and they just released their new album “The Layback” in February 2017.
KARIN A
26.03.17
Karin Aviaz designs clothes that are comfortable—and you can see that the women that wear them feel that way. The Tel Avivian designer’s brand, Karin A, carries an impeccable street-meets-elegant style that always seems to work. Whether it’s for a morning meeting or an evening outing, her minimalistic and contrasting lines enable women to feel stylish yet comfortable at the same time—and that’s all we need to conquer the world, right?
Cotton, rayon, tencel and silk, black, white, nude and grey—these are the signature baselines for her urban designs. Karin has done a wonderful job in creating ongoing collections by adding new colors she picks out for each season and by doing what she loves the most: choosing new fabrics that inspire her. Her aim is to design clothes for all women, no matter their body measurements or their age.
HILA TZADOK
23.02.17
Israeli designer Hila Tzadok believes that inspiration can be found everywhere—“from the grains of sand on the beach, to the stars in the sky.”
Tzadok’s recent collection combines nature with urban monstrosities, the organic and the mechanic, to create a glimpse of harmony in a fast-paced world. It manifests the place of nature within architectural structures and highlights the dominance of built up industries in rural settings.
Curiosity in the fields of architecture, science, nature and technology led Tzadok to become a major force when it comes to luxe fabrics and edgy textures. Her endless talent in creating geometrical shapes, prints, laser cuts and textile manipulation, is brilliant. Have a peek at Tzadok’s work below in order to get a sense of her breadth as a designer.
NELLY AGASSI
16.02.17
Nelly Agassi is making art widely accessible to everyone—“from children to art-loving people.” She is addressing the fields of architecture and design through video, performance, sculpture, fiber installation and paper.
Agassi’s artwork moves between body and space, using imperfect objects to express her own fragility. The body is used as “a site and a storage space” while she experiments with the expansion of the self by creating dynamic spaces around it. In recent years, her abstract pencil-drawings have been inspired by floor plans of Kirkbride Buildings, yet still portray a personal and conceptual language.
Agassi has installed her work around the world—from museums such as London’s Tate Modern, the Israel Museum and Milan Triennial, to several artist-run galleries in Chicago. In addition, she co-founded the Fieldwork Collaborative Project, which creates cultural experiences within existing urban infrastructures.