The desire to have a different outlook on current global atmospheres is one that ungently arises. Rather than focus on its cruelties, I instead delve into the unbroken belief that we humans can do better and that, despite all, there is still a place for love, understanding, and compassion. The artist I brought today shares this same belief. Anai Salem is an Israeli-French artist who recently escaped the war in Israel and settled in Paris, and she brings a refreshing perspective through her art that illuminates hope, resilience, and love.

"I grew up in Israel, a place where you are trained from childhood to beware of terror attacks, where there’s always a threat of war, and where civilians hate each other. For me, becoming an artist and surrounding myself with other artists, between one gallery and the other, is a way to see the good and beautiful where there is so much ugliness."

Anai Salem's work is a combination of sculpture and ready-made elements that are distorted into unrecognizable forms. This intriguing juxtaposition challenges the familiar, causing it to lose its known purpose and shape and transform into something entirely new. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Phyllida Barlow, Louise Bourgeois, Mona Hatoum, Michael Dean, Karla Black, Mike Nelson, Marianne Berenhaut, Huguette Caland, Emma Hart, and Richard Tuttle, her works have a strong realistic surrealism influence. When you analyze Anai's body of work, you can see the unmistakable connections evident in the selection of materials. For example, she chose blue synthetic grass after working with real live grass for several years to create a striking contrast and evoke a sense of illogical beauty.

Salem's work was showcased in the "Images-Fireflies" exhibition at the Barbur Gallery in Jerusalem, Israel, the same year democracy in Israel faced a serious threat when the Prime Minister tried to carry out a government coup. The exhibition was a sculpture-installation project inspired by Georges Didi-Huberman's "Survival of the Fireflies," curated by Lital Marcus Morin, and ran from August 16 to September 13, 2023. It ingeniously utilized the sparkle of fireflies as a metaphor for resilience, passion, and humanity, particularly in the face of challenging and immoral periods. The sculptures presented were made from scotch dish-scrubbing sponges standing on floor lamps and radiating their luminance above seemingly weighty sculptures constructed from garden fences, adorned with blue synthetic grass sewn onto metal and plaster cast. And, despite their appearance, they were actually filled with nothing but air. This prompted contemplation on the concept of filling and emptying the stomach with air.

"A few weeks after the exhibitions closed, the war in Israel-Palestine started. People were killed, women were raped, children were taken as hostages, and it goes on. Seeing and hearing all of those makes it very difficult to have faith in humanity. But I still believe in those little signals of light and intend to keep searching for them."

Another aspect of this exhibition is the way the artist constructed the sculptures themselves. Even though Salem is mostly a sculptor who works with wood saws and different machines, this time the whole project is sewn together on fence metal, meticulously crafted and very tightly together, showing two aspects of the artist's identity. One is her versatile skills in working with different materials and techniques, and the other is how she was able, almost without noticing, to express a vulnerability and deep defensive sense of protection that emerged from her personal experiences and outlook on human connections. Salem wishes this project" to touch the potential of rising above, breaking through the barrier, in whatever form it takes."

"I am somehow, still, one of those very naive people who actually believe art has the power to change the world. It is very bizarre to say after everything that I was exposed to." The artist told me. " I have seen the worst of human cruelty, and for a while I actually did start to wonder if I was mistaken. But I can’t accept that because it makes life too unbearable. I have to believe change is possible; I have to believe good things can still come."

The most impressive characteristic of Anai Salem's work is without a doubt its powerful call to embrace love and compassion in the face of adversity, and the "Images-Fireflies" exhibition served as a poignant plea for love and unity in the face of growing political turmoil and societal discord. Artists like Anai Salem make us question and believe that there is more to humans and that we can all choose to believe in tenderness and understanding. With work deeply personal, reflecting her experiences in the world and her biography,  it becomes a powerful example and source of inspiration within the contemporary art community and its audience.

If you are intrigued by the artist's work, go have a look at her website and interview on Patreon.

Cover image:

Images-Fireflies by Anai Salem. Photo by Daniel Hanoch.

Bio Image:

Image courtesy of Yul Shif and Nimrod Landesman.