Viewing Room - Sommer Contemporary Art

Sommer Contemporary Art is pleased to present three films by Israeli artist Guy Ben-Ner, dating from 1999 to 2001. These three films (Berkeley’s Island, Moby Dick and Household) are his typical all-in-the-kitchen-sequence. The deliberately low-tech and homemade films transform epic narratives into domestic scenarios, merging the labors of art-making and fatherhood. Ben-Ner became known for appearing in his films with his family, delving into deeper concerns by equating the drama of a family with the dramas of the world.

We feel that these films are attaining an even stronger poignancy as we are quarantined in the confines of our homes. While we are forced to isolate and stay at home, to slow down and contemplate the tormenting current situation and our mutual vulnerability, Sommer Contemporary Art would like to call attention to the opportunity we are given to pause and reflect on the way we would like the world and the art community in particular to look in the aftermath, to hope for human transformation and to reimagine a new reality. Let’s hope for real change, so new ideas and ways for our artworld will emerge.

The first work to be screened is “Berkeley’s Island”, 1999, 15:06 min. It will be on view from today, Wednesday April 1st until Friday April 3rd.

Berkeley’s Island (1999), is Guy Ben-Ner’s first narrative video. It is based on Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe (1719) and features several vignettes acted by the artist and his young daughter, stranded on a deserted island in the middle of the family kitchen.

“Moby Dick” will be on view from Friday, April 3rd until Sunday April 5th and “Household” will be on view from Sunday April 5th until Tuesday, April 7th.

We hope you stay safe and healthy,

Sommer Contemporary Art

Sommer Contemporary Art would like to thank Guy Ben-Ner for allowing us to present his artworks in this context.