Ex-Nihilo: Idit Nissenbaum
Omer Tiroche Gallery is proud to present Ex-Nihilo, a solo exhibition by Idit Nissenbaum curated by Mor Reshef Sivan. Ex-Nihilo, Latin for “out of nothing”, is often used in connection with the concept of creation and can be found in religious texts referring to the beginning of life; first there was nothing and from nothing the world was created.
Since the age of fifteen Nissenbaum has explored the medium of photography with a focus on the human body and nature. A photography graduate from Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, Idit moved to New York to pursue her career in art. Upon arriving, she was greatly affected by the chaotic city landscape and its lack of stillness. Despite being surrounded by crowded buildings and a bustling population, she felt isolated and alone. With no open spaces to escape to, Nissenbaum began to suffer from anxiety, which led her to explore various forms of escapism through her art. She began to explore beyond the two-dimensionality of photography and experimented with more immersive forms of expression by focusing on aspects of nature that she longed for; light and colour, as well as the sensations of how nature can make you feel present and in an environment of self-reflection.
In this exhibition Nissenbaum brings the spiritual experience of the outdoors into the gallery space, appropriating elements of nature outside their normal vernacular. Using the four rooms of the gallery, she mimics the sensation and atmosphere that we feel when walking through the countryside, evoking the visitor’s sense of sight, touch, smell and hearing through the use of digital media, installations and photography. In one room Nissenbaum illustrates the stark contrast between a chaotic metropolitain environment with that of an idyllic, uncorrupted countryside. The final room is stripped from the obvious signs of nature and leaves the us with a cosmic meditative experience, allowing one to escape reality and move into a new dimension, creating a sense of peace in the darkness.
Idit Nissenbaum was born in Rishon Le’Zion, where she currently lives and works. She graduated from the Bezalel Academy of Arts in Jerusalem with a BA in Photography and received her BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York where she was presented with the Chairman’s award for excellence. Nissenbaum has exhibited worldwide in solo and group shows. Ex-Nihilo is her second solo exhibition in Israel.
