16 Tons, 12 km/h

Romy Ben Yosef and Achinoam Mendelson present their duo exhibition – “16 Tons, 12 km/h” (Curated by Hila Cohen-Schneiderman)

Mendelson, a graduate of the School of Visual Theater (2020), and Ben Yosef, a graduate of Bezalel’s Department of Fine Arts (2023), come from different artistic backgrounds—one from human performance and the other from plastic art. The exhibition “16 Tons, 12 km/h” is, above all, an encounter between the orange gravel mass that Ben Yosef poured onto the gallery floor, attempting to turn it into a kind of desert, and the maximum speed of Carolina, the scooter that Mendelson purchased, which moves around the gallery space. The relationship between the two in the exhibition mirrors the connection between the desert and the person walking through it.

The faded-vibrant orange color of the sesame gravel glows like Martian soil or a scene from a cartoon. Unlike outer space, here the gravity is unbearable, pulling everything down toward the floor. This is a highly unnatural environment where the sky seems to be falling on our heads: three angels are lying on the gravel, along with fossilized, hollow water chestnuts made of bronze. The stadium’s PA system seems to be compressed within itself, and from the speakers, a bassoon sound emerges. What can possibly grow from scorched earth? Death beetles pave a straight path along copper stems.

Carolina, the scooter, was purchased by Mendelson from a couple of veteran immigrants from Italy, founders of Kibbutz Regavim. During the purchase, she promised to keep its name. Mendelson had planned to transform the scooter into a journey vehicle, carrying only the essentials for the road—perhaps a coffee maker and an avocado tree. In the end, she didn’t need much. As the daughter of a pilot, she had always dreamed of flying. She has a license but never owned a car. Eventually, she found herself with a vehicle that didn’t allow for long journeys. Carolina became the central figure in Mendelson’s poetic performance. Sometimes it moves on its own in an autonomous mechanism, and at other times, it’s guided by the firm hand of its driver. Carolina emits flickering light like a beacon or a probe exploring a planet with healthy curiosity or seeking refuge.

During the opening event and throughout the exhibition, performative “rides” on the scooter will take place.

Credits

(Achinoam Mendelson)
Partner in design and construction: Yarden Kolsi
Musicians: Michael Rosseler and Maayan James
Music composition and arrangement: Eden Cohen

(Romy Ben Yosef)
Musicians: May Dotan and Eden Cohen