Curator Yona Fischer and the Transition from Object to Performance in Israeli Art

What is it about?

The article examines the evolution of performance sensibility in the proactive curatorial practice of Yona Fischer at the Israel Museum in the 1960s-1970s. It contends that Fischer motivated the gradual introduction of performative modes of art into the museum, significantly contributing to the performative turn in Israeli art at that time. Fischer's approach, moreover, is shown to have been critical of the ideologically object-oriented policy of the museum, which validated Israel’s historical and national meta-narratives.

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Why is it important?

While focusing on the case of Yona Fischer’s curatorial practice in the 1960-1970s, the article engages with the theoretical debate on the ontology, politics, and historiography of performance vis-à-vis the art institution, the history of art, and archival culture.