All the Gifts
Solo Exhibition at the Schechter Gallery, Tel Aviv.
Curated by Shira Friedman, 2020.
Photos: Youval Hai
Sound in the exhibition: Talia Yona Kliger

The god Dionysus, who wears a mask, represents intoxication, loss of control, wildness, ecstasy and catharsis. This patron of harvesters and an art-historical symbol of release and awakening serves as a central trope in Assi Meshullam’s exhibition All of the Gifts.

Dionysus’ attributes – grapes and a mask – intervene in the sculptures on display. Meshullam uses them to create a pseudo-archaeological world based on “Dionysian action,” which is contrasted, in philosophy, with “Apollonian actions” shaped by the moderation and refinement of emotions and urges. The exhibition features hybrid creatures, statuettes, plaques and objects, alongside the Book of Fables, written by Meshulam. The book and works were created together as a single, interrelated body of works, especially for this exhibition.