Many campuses throughout the world serve as cultural platforms for the works of sculptors and environmental artists, thus achieving a spectacular aesthetic result as well as preserving cultural values and integrating them into the academic environment.
Within the framework of the Institute for Immigration and Social Integration, which has been in operation at Ruppin Academic Center since 2005, the lawns of the rural green campus located in the heart of the Hefer Valley have been set aside as a unique sculpture garden devoted to the works of immigrant artists.

      "Couple"
Adela Berchiko
      Ethiopia
    "Go Forth"
Michael Lazar
  & Mark Louis
Canada/England       "Tango"
Leah Dolinski
    Argentina
   "Magician"
    Pavel Zak
      Russia
        "Timing"
Sergei Bonkov
        Russia

The sculpture garden is meant to create an environmental platform for the creations of artists from various cultures and to provide a unique exposure opportunity for these artists, who may find it difficult to fit into the local art world.
In March 2006, the cornerstone was lain in a ceremony attended by Prof. Shosh Arad, President of Ruppin Academic Center and one of the promoters of the garden concept, Chairman of Ruppin's Board of Governors, Mr. Udi Angel, garden curator, artist Moshe Kedem, the heads of the Institute for Immigration and Social Integration and many other honored guests.

Six sculptures have been placed in the garden since then, with the ultimate goal being to include more than 20 environmental sculptures. The pace at which sculptures are added depends upon the rate at which donations, which are passed directly to the presenting artist, are received.

"This sculpture garden is not simply a garden with sculptures scattered here and there", explains the garden curator, Moshe Kedem, manager of the "Alternative" gallery in Jaffa. "This is a complete concept, which in this specific case incorporates an artistic statement with an important Zionist statement". Kedem, who immigrated to Israel from Paris a decade ago, speaks of the preparations with obvious excitement. "We invited new immigrant artists to submit proposals, which had to be designed especially for the campus. The artists prepared models and we presented a show, from which we chose some 20 pieces. Although Israel is based mostly upon immigrants, this was the first time that anyone in Israel had made an effort to contemplate the place of immigrant artists and to treat them with respect, while offering to pay them for their work. For me, this constitutes a form of closure and the result is spectacular".

From Tumarkin to Ruppin

The garden is delineated by two sculptures: at the Western entrance stands a sculpture by Israel Prize laureate Yigal Tumarkin, which it is fitting to display on the Ruppin campus in salute of new immigrant artists, and at the Eastern entrance - a bust of Dr. Arthur Ruppin, for whom the Academic Center is named, created by sculptor Sasha Sarver, formerly of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

                  "Galioractor III"
                Yigal Tumarkin
             Israel Prize Laureate "Bust of Dr. Arthur Ruppin"
           Sasha Sarver
               Russia

Sculpture with a Soul

The language of art, an international language that may be realized through immense environmental sculptures, is unique in that it is the best way to portray the feelings inherent to immigration, no matter where.
We asked Prof. Shosh Arad, President of Ruppin Academic Center, what made the works presented in the garden, and those slated to arrive at the campus in the future, so special.
"We asked the artists to think of something that they felt expressed the country from which they immigrated to Israel. We instructed them to utilize their unique perspective as immigramts, as artists and as people who came from one place and arrived somwhere new. They were given complete freedom, which is every artist's dream. All the pieces fit in with the existing green flora, the abundance of greenery at Ruppin serves as a natural backdrop for the sculpture garden design. This type of initiative will elevate the artists to a higher level and it is befitting that Israeli artists, both new immigrants and veteran residents, be treated in this manner".

Illustration of a future sculpture for the Sculpture Garden

For donations to immigrant artists for the financing of sculptures for
the sculpture garden, please contact the
External Relations Department at tel: +972-9-8983067
email: external@ruppin.ac.il

These funds are slated for the immigrant artists, with no compensation for Ruppin Academic Center.
For every donation received, Ruppin Academic Center will donate the funds required to cover the expenses of placing the sculpture in the sculpture garden.
* Every donation is recognized for tax credit as per Clause 46a of the Israel Income Tax Directive.

Back»