5O YEARS TO THE NEGEV MONUMENT
5O YEARS TO DANI KARAVAN'S PUBLIC ART
Be'er Sheva, Israel 2014 - 2016
During October 2014 and February 2015, the city of Be'er-Sheva held a series of cultural events celebrating 50 years to the iconic public sculpture: the Negev Monument Palmach by Dani Karavan (born in Tel Aviv in 1930, laurate of the Israel Prize for sculpture in 1977, lives and works in Tel Aviv and Paris).
the cultural events program included:
Exhibition at the Negev Museum of Art
The exhibition held throughout the Negev Museum of Art was dedicated to the Negev Monument and presented the planning and construction of the monument through drawings, photographs and historical models, a series of historical photographs by photographer Yakov Agor exhibited for the first time, new and recovery sketches of previous works by Dani Karavan, a collection of works of art inspired by the monument or as a tribute to it by various artists, documentary films who were produced especially for the exhibition, by Yuli Cohen and Adi Frost, documentation related to the environmental planning of the monument and its relationship to the city, and historical documents related to the founding of the monument by the commanders of the Palmach's Negev Brigade in the early sixties.
for the exhibition guide
A weekend of cultural events, meetings and performances at the Negev Monument
Music, visual arts, yoga at sunrise, poetry, lectures and family activities: original productions created especially for the jubilee events.
An academic conference about the Negev Monument
The conference was held in the Ben Gurion University Art History Department, and hosted speakers from Israel and abroad (Jan 2015).
New art book on the Negev Monument, published by Marcel
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Project curator: Adi Englman, Freelance curator, Marcel Art Projects NPO
Co-director on behalf of Dani Karavan Studio: Noa Karavan-Cohen, director of Karavan Studio, Paris / Tel Aviv
Co-director on behalf of the Negev Museum of Art: Dr. Dalia Manor, director and chief curator of the Negev Museum of Art, Be'er Sheva
Assistant to project curator: Eike Walknhorst, Marcel Art Projects NPO
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The Negev Monument for the Brigade fighters who had fought during the War of Independence, which is located at the top of Be'er Sheva on a hill overlooking the city, designed and made by artist Dani Karavan, between 1962 and 1968.
furtur reading:
Shany Littman, Iconic Israeli Memorial Celebrates 50, Haaretz, 30.10.2014.
furtur reading in Hebrew:
שני ליטמן, 50 שנה לאנדרטת הנגב: מה סוד קסמה?, מוסף גלריה, הארץ, 29.10.2014
מיכאל יעקובסון, מיתוס כבר 50 שנה: זיכרון, אהבה, מוות ובטון באנדרטת חטיבת הנגב, X-net

Dani Karavan, in Yulie Cohen's documentary film Minor Shrine for Our Love, 2014. Produced in the framework of the exhibition at the Negev Museum of Art, Be'er Sheva

50 Years to the Negev Monument / 50 Years to Dani Karavan's Public Art, poster. Designed by Max Hoffmann

The Negev Monument's concrete and sun tunnel. Photo by Micha Peri, ca. 1970

The Negev Monument, inside memorial dome. Photo by Alexander Poellinger.

The Negev Monument, aerial view. From Dani Karavan's catalogue to Venice Art Biennial 1976

The Negev Monument, Be'er Sheva, with camels. Photo by Israel Zafrir.