Tried And True

Artists: Michal Karniely
Curator: Sharon Balaban

Michal Karniely’s work engages with the borders between music, video, and matter.

The disintegration of a flute that has accompanied her throughout her life transforms into a journey to reassemble the instrument. An instrument in which there is a movement of inhaling and exhaling into holes and cracks, both internal and external.

Between air and light, between voice and sound, the search for an internal existence takes place.

“Tried and True” is a video work combining animation, 3D imagery, and filmed materials, centered on a figure walking through abstract digital spaces in search of her voice and identity.

The work deals with states of change — physical, internal, mental — and how personal and professional identity is shaped and undermined. The figure moves within changing environments, with hints to the world of music, to introspection, and to a sense of disconnection.

This is a journey that unfolds within a precise yet fragile visual structure. The title of the exhibition “Tried and True” refers to the desire to hold onto essence, even as form changes.

At the exhibition, an architectural intervention in the iconic, light-filled space of “HaCubia” will take place, and seek to disrupt the space and create an internal contemplation area.

On the opening night, a performance will take place inside the video installation and respond to the artwork. This is a solo performance where Karniely will play two flutes, one of which is broken and has an air leak, while the other produces a stable sound. The sound of the presses and contact with the flute will pass through a sound system consisting of an effects microphone and a looper.

Michal Karniely is a distinguished graduate of the screen arts department at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and holds a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from the Jerusalem Academy of Music.