Jerusalem, Israel - July 11, 2024 - What a privilege to attend The Tower of David Jerusalem Museum opening a unique art exhibition on the evening of July 9, 2024.
In June 2023 the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum hosted a grand reopening event with the Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Lion and Minister of Jerusalem and Israel Tradition United Torah Judaism MK Meir Porush. Work on the Kishle new entrance was under construction that evening.
The Kishle, which means prison in Turkish, was built by the Ottoman Turks as a jail in the 1800s and used by the British in the 1940s to hold captured Jewish militia members.
The vast space is part of the Tower of David complex located near Jaffa Gate and was created following the extensive archaeological excavation in 1999-2000 led by Jerusalem District archaeologist of the Israel Antiquities Authority Dr. Amit Re'em.
Layers of Jewish history rest one on top of the other. They include a Jewish dyeing factory from the Middle Ages mentioned in the writings of Benjamin of Tudela, walls of Herod the Great’s royal palace, and impressive Hasmonean fortifications. At the bottom of the excavations is a wall on the bedrock dated to the days of Hezekiah, King of Judah, and the time of the Bayit Rishon.
On a visit in November 2014 to the Kishle we had to climb up a rickety spiral metal staircase to see the archeological wonders revealed to the public for the first time. The new ramp entrance is greatly improved, however, accessibility is limited. There are plans to make it accessible for the disabled in the future.
While the Kishle building is in the midst of this planning process for its preservation and renovation project the site was chosen to host the contemporary art exhibition “Umbilicus” by curators Dr. Adina Kamien and Malu Zayon.
Eilat Lieber, Director and Chief Curator stated, "It is exciting to see the Kishle come alive and to recognize its potential to tell different stories of Jerusalem. The connection between old and new and its presentation is the uniqueness of the Tower of David. Here we see the connection between archeology and art, between the ancient stone and the modern work which creates a fascinating dialogue between material, form, and color and above all gives a new meaning to the Eternal City."
The modern works of artists Hannan Abu-Hussein, Sharon Balaban, Matan Daskal, Yehudit Sasportas, Merav Shinn Ben-Alon, and Lihi Turjeman blend into the ancient stone setting.
The photo essay is from the opening night as guests walked up the new access ramp and along the walkway. The art is displayed along the walls with the archeological markings and sandbags and ends where the bedrock stones are left exposed. Looking down one can see how one after another, over thousands of years the story of Jerusalem has evolved.