Twice As Good: Tours of Two Exhibitions on Tuesdays / Naturally: A visit to the exhibitions Theatre of Animals and Netta Laufer: Distant Lights (in Hebrew)

This tour centers on human civilization’s view of wild animals. Through visits to two exhibitions, we will view various types of human perspective on the animal world—both as a tool that enables critical discourse about the human world and as a space for human observation of, and fascination with, nature.

The exhibition Theatre of Animals is based on philosopher Jean Boudin’s book Universae naturae theatrum (The Theatre of Nature), published nearly 400 years ago. In Boudin’s view, nature is a play written and produced by God, in which the cast are the flora and fauna, and humans are the audience. At the heart of the exhibition is a monumental 400-year-old woven tapestry depicting a thick, green forest, with a hunting scene at its center. Alongside it are works by contemporary artists engaging with the theatricality with which we observe and think about the animal world. From real animals that no longer exist, through those that still exist in our world (such as bats), to those that exist only in the human imagination (such as unicorns), the exhibition allows us to observe wildlife from afar and to be exhilarated by their every movement and sound.

Netta Laufer also turns her gaze to animals. Since childhood, she has observed the many animals she raised, immersed herself in biology studies, and eagerly read National Geographic magazines. When she began studying photography, she became acquainted with the rich history of nature photography—especially American landscape photography—and the critical turn that took place in the field in the latter half of the twentieth century. Scholars and cultural critics have sought to challenge the perception of nature as “natural,” and to uncover the political, ecological, and social mechanisms that now dominate and shape it. This trend may be framed as a shift from gazing at the “landscape” to seeing it as “territory” —which may be seized and claimed, and which only some are free to roam while others are excluded from. The seemingly positive act of preserving nature also prompts the question of which nature is entitled to protection, and from whom.

With endless curiosity, patience, and acute critical awareness, Laufer surveys conflicted Israeli territories, probes their physical boundaries and highlights its transparent ones. She takes up position along fences and alongside the Separation Wall, in cemeteries, nature reserves, forests, and archaeological sites, ever vigilant to the presence of animals that share these spaces with humans. In her work, she sheds light on human intervention in the animals’ habitat, its impact and how animals adapt to it or challenge it.

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Note: This tour is in Hebrew only.
Tours led by educators.
The number of participants is limited | Advance reservations are required for all participants.
The tour takes place near a secure space.
Participation in the tour includes entrance ticket to the Museum.