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London, UK - Nov. 18, 2003 - An exclusive exhibition featuring the
provocative and intimate work of photographer Kobi Israel (www.kobi-israel.com)
opened today at the eclectic Blue Elephant Theatre in south London.
The exhibition, which captures the conflicted and intimate self-exploration
of Kobi's own life, coincides with the show !Runners by Brazilian
writer and director Cristina Teixeira that explores similar issues
of self-identity and self-exploration.
This latest exhibition follows a wave of recent accolades for the
award winning photographer whose best-selling book Kobi Israel Views
has gained worldwide acclaim. Earlier this month, his portrait "1700"
was selected for exhibition at the Schweppes Photographic Portrait
Prize 2003 at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Meanwhile,
for its December year-in-review issue, Out magazine, the leading
U.S.-based arts and entertainment magazine for the gay community,
has named Kobi one of "100 Most Intriguing Gay People of 2003".
Also, Australia's leading gay men's magazine and top photography
journal, Blue, also recently featured Kobi in a gallery spread of
his work.
"I'm excited to share these images with London one more time
at the Blue Elephant Theatre. The photographs are born from my personal
experiences as a gay adolescent in an Israeli suburb through to
my being a soldier in the Israeli army during national service,"
said Kobi. "They are inspired by the many conflicts of growing
up and exploring my sexuality in a traditional Israeli society,
where feelings towards other men are often physical and warm but
seldom cross the dangerous line between a brotherly embrace and
the touch of love and desire. This project is not about army life
but about deep emotions, beauty and vulnerability".
"We're elated to have the prestigious work of Kobi Israel at
the theatre," said Antonio Ribeiro, producer at the Blue Elephant
Theatre. "His work crosses boundaries and reaches out to so
many people in a really powerful way. These images are an excellent
complement to our current show !Runners."
The exhibition runs until 20 December and features the following
work divided into three themes:
Fragments of Life
In a series of images, Kobi takes us into his inner world of memories,
conflicts and trapped emotions where he recreates and reinvents
fragments of his own life as an adolescent growing up in a traditional
society. For some of the images he even returns to the original
Tel Aviv locations of his first encounters and revelations to recreate
the moment .
In the eyes of a soldier
For Israeli soldiers the act of hugging, kissing and the saying
in Hebrew "Ani Ohev Otcha Achi"("I love you my brother"),
are normal ways of greeting. But how does a gay soldier feel in
this situation, where communal showering and sleeping are the accepted
norm?
In a series of images from a daily Israeli army routine, Kobi portrays
raw humanity as well as the iconic beauty and sexual attraction,
of young soldiers all based on his own personal experiences.
Intimacy
Using a deliberate "snapshot" style, Kobi searches for
the secret intimate moments within day-to-day scenes and the "divine"
that is hidden in all of us.
For more information, visit www.kobi-israel.com/art_Exhibitions.html
email: press@kobi-israel.com
mobile : 07815-100-598 or
www.blueelephanttheatre.co.uk. / Jane Duncan (Curator B.E.T)
jane@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk
/ mobile: 07941 624247
Notes to the Listings Editor
Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 11:00am-6:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm-4:00pm
Nearest tube: Elephant & Castle then buses 12,
35, 40, 45, 68, 68A, 171, 176, 486 to Camberwell Road (5min journey).
Other tube stations: Oval (12 min. walk) Kennington (20 min. walk).
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