OPEN SOURCE, 2006, INSTALLATION AND VIDEO
A FILM AND VIDEO INSTALLATION IN THE DISUSED SYNAGOGUE AT PALMOVKA, WHICH IS LOCATED IN A BUSY OUTLYING PART OF PRAGUE, ENCROACHED UPON DAILY BY UKRAINIAN AND VIETNAMESE MARKETS. THE PROJECT INVESTIGATES THE REACTION OF A TYPICAL EAST-EUROPEAN CONSERVATIVE MILIEU IN DIRECT CONFRONTATION WITH A NOW FOREIGN JEWISH TRADITION. THE ARTIST ASKED A TYPICAL CZECH RURAL FAMILY, WHICH HAS NO RELATION TO JEWISH CULTURE, TO BUILD A SUKKAH (PL. SUKKOT; A BOOTH OR HUT) OUT OF WOOD AND THE UBIQUITOUS POST-COMMUNIST RUBBISH THAT IS IN ALMOST EVERY COURTYARD OF EVERY CZECH HOUSE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. TEMPORARY SUKKOT ARE BUILT EACH YEAR IN JEWISH FAMILIES AROUND THE WORLD FOR THE FEAST OF SUKKOT, WHICH IS A REMINDER OF THE JEWS’ FORTY YEARS OF WANDERING IN THE DESERT AFTER THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT. THE CZECH FAMILY WAS ASKED TO BUILD THE SMALL HUT OUT OF MATERIALS FOUND IN THEIR OWN COURTYARD, OBSERVING THE STRICT RULES OF THE TRADITIONAL BUILDING. THE CONFRONTATION OF TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS: THE JEWISH TRADITIONAL AND CZECH POST-COMMUNIST ENVIRONMENT, RESULTED IN THIS INSTALLATION.
