Raz Gomeh

Raz Gomeh is a contemplative artist. He reflects deeply before he begins to work, mulling over 

universal questions related to his work while planning their execution in advance. At the same 

time introduces contingency into his exhibitions – sometimes through wall drawings that he 

prepares in the gallery spaces, sometimes in the live performances he undertakes, sometimes in 

his choice of materials such as concrete or video. The resulting artworks are tightly packed

paradoxes – objects that contain within themselves material expression of irreconcilable forces.

 

 

The exhibition's development proceeded out of intuition and exploration – a process that relied 

heavily on communication, both direct and indirect. From a "coincidental" first conversation 

about Jerusalem, to the decision to undertake an exhibition at Barbur at a time when Raz moved 

to Tel Aviv, to the complicating factor of his then moving to Shangai – the ability to bring the 

show together depended heavily on trust, openness, and a preparedness to face the unknown.

 

 

It also depended on a kind of communication that always recognized the other's humanity – in 

its total and messy form – and an embrace of the uncertainty of the creative space. 

Conversations took place in person, in writing, and over the internet, spanning three continents 

over the period of a year. Within a cloud of circumstances that changed regularly, a bond was 

formed in which the central node was the desire and intent to erect an exhibition that would 

serve as a kind of antenna to other worlds. In a sense, Telekinesis is a monument to 

communication between souls even when circumstances make such contact difficult. It is a 

testament to the human spirit's resolve to connect with what it imagines to be beyond physical 

or even metaphysical boundaries.

 

 

One of the central understandings guiding the development of this exhibition was an awareness

of the artistic gesture that stands behind each decision that an artist makes, regardless of the 

medium. Several media appear in the show, including sculpture, drawing, and video. Together 

they demonstrate that behind each work lies an artist's conscious attempt to create an object that 

can be contemplated by others. This contemplation is not meant to bring them to a specific 

message that is predetermined by the artist. Rather it is an invitation that opens up a field of 

significance where viewers are prompted into different kinds of reactions – aesthetic, moral, 

historical – and develop their own sensibilities. The works express the vulnerability with which 

they were created at the same time as they demonstrate a persistence to be made and viewed.

 

 

Telekinesis is about openness, fragility, and perseverance, bringing together disparate qualities 

within a single body of work. It is the result of steadfast resolve and hours of preparation – 

followed by two intense weeks of execution, in which new challenges arose and were 

overcome. It is a declaration, to anyone who is listening, of faith, endurance, and devotion.