Over Shabbat dinner one night, we were talking to Kobi Vogman and a bunch of his friends. Sitting around a circle, passing a bottle of Cava and with the Israelis chain-smoking cigarettes, they talked about the art they had lost. One had been a painter. Another had been a dancer. A third had been an accomplished pianist by the age of 16. Others had stories that were less dramatic but all spoke of loss. All lost that artistic impulse and drive after three years of army service, three years of regimented living that doesn't inspire creativity. And, three years that on your exit from the other side, you find yourself an adult, needing to find a job, raise a family and create an existence that is outside the frivolity that sometimes encompasses art.
Artists 4 Israel asks the enemies of Israel to cease and desist their attacks - militaristic, terrorist or p.r. based - and allow the world to enjoy a boom in art!
Artists need a place to go where they can be artists.
ReplyDeleteWhy not have a weekly evening-class where these ex-soldiers can go and do some life-drawing. Some form of creativity that will draw them back to creativity. Something simple. Also textile design.
There will be many ideas buried deep in their minds and these will gradually surface!
Shalom.