Desert Winter Olympics
Desert Winter Olympics was my third solo show. It took place in the beautiful Maya Gallery in Tel Aviv between the 14/2-9/3/2019.

MAYA gallery is an "art-based social enterprise in Israel, an innovative vision realized by its co-founder artists, Michael Kovner and Avner Levinson to grant a proper and independent platform for emerging artists."
โWhen michael first came to introduce the gallery and offered me a solo show, my very first reaction was a bit suspicious. I was trying to find the catch. But after a few minutes i got it. There was actually no catch, just a rare encounter with a person who believes in art and willing to do a lot for the voices of young artists to be heard.

Donkey, oil on canvas, 160X145 cm, 2018
I love Maya Gallery for making me feel at home and welcome with open arms and heart.
A few months before the opening Michael came again and told me they would like to produce a catalog for the main exhibition, and that is how I got my first real catalogue issued.
The beloved Gallery members: Michal Baroz, Noa Goren, Erez Aharon and Avner Levinson did their very best to make it ready on time.
The wonderful Hagai Segev, who is an Israeli curator, currently based in Prague, wrote his interesting point of view in a text which I would like to share here:
The Place Where the Spirit Wanders
Works by Rotem Manor
By Hagai Segev
(ืืจืกื ืืขืืจืืช ืืืืฉื)
In the place where the body is to be found, the spirit of Rotem Manor's art wanders. The spirit of creation and the search for the optimal visual manifestation finds a fluid expression, moving between the concrete and the imaginary. The paintings are means of search for reality that is absent or can be only found in the beyond; they may add some layers to the reality that is familiar and real. Based on this exploration, the paintings create an atmosphere that moves on the axis between expressive-declarative-critical and a captivating naivetรฉ. The spirit of art succeeds in giving expression to a human being even though it is not physically present in the painting.

Sweet Water Land, ink and watercolors on paper, 20X28 cm, 2018
The combination of an expressive painting joint with an outburst of the naรฏve, invites observation of the depth of the content and images and the way they are recreated. Two opposites exist in creative thought and are poured onto the surface as a means of dealing with the contradictions. Frantic color splashes coupled with organization of thought and objects, so that a logical composition can be created, one that needs to be deciphered. The naivetรฉ of the depictions is captivating, while the expressiveness invites a critical observation by another gaze and study of intentions and meanings. The intentions are not always clear and leave room for the personal interpretation by each observer.
The objects are stylized in a manner that is immediately and clearly comprehended, almost childlike. However, there is also a degree of eeriness in the atmosphere that Manor employs. The manner of combining and connecting the depictions on the canvas adds to them a touch of terror stemming from the elusive combination of images. The images are reminiscent of fictitious computer games. Something odd, wonderful, and perhaps even threatening.

Habitat, acrylic on canvas, 108X137 cm, 2017
The Habitat painting, for example, offers a glimpse into the opening of a cave that overlooks a distant landscape. In the center of the composition there is a sea, a lake or a dam surrounded by hills, with various buildings, vegetation, roads and paths scattered across. Other objects are a cactus, flora, a structure with sloping roof, but others are less clear: Is the structure on the left is a kind of Noah's Ark; What is the meaning of the ฮ shape; or, high on the center is the shape between the clouds of what looks like an abstract human figure or is it something different?
The experience created by Rotem Manor is of concrete objects, which remind us of things that one can recognize wandering around the countryside: landscapes, architecture, electricity poles, billboards, waste sites etc. However, the environment in which these are located resembles a high sphere utopia, floating in outer space. The connection of one object to another is random, creating a collage in space: the adhesion of realities, seemingly plain reality, but in fact an undermined reality.
Rotem Manor describes the places where she would like to be, or the surroundings where her spirit is dwelling in during the hours of creation. It is a portrayal of the free spirit of man who wants to break beyond the concrete, real places. The canvas is the opportunity to break beyond these boundaries, or at least draw their mark without time, space, and financial limits. The liberty of thought.

Volcanic Mind, oil on canvas, 100X100 cm, 2017
Some of the landscapes look like remains or abandoned objects on deserted side roads of human reality. Sometimes, unidentified objects emerge, like clusters of cloud images from an unknown world, that have no name or a title. These are manifestations that are not formulated by the artist by any prior thought, but are about to take shape on the canvas or paper.
The land is empty of humans, it is entirely inhabited by structures and objects created by an unknown factor. They exist as independent objects, like inanimate plants that tell stories of a rich universe, vibrant and yet disturbing. Some of the paintings are reminiscent of silent, deserted underwater landscapes. But even in these paintings one can sense the existence of the riddle of life.

Fenced Green, acrylic and pigment powder on wood, 58X42 cm, 2018
The wind wandering through the fabrics is the spirit of curiosity, the wonder of the life of creation without people. The life is derived from the rich strokes of the colors by means of the palette knife or the brush. And from the effervescence sense of creative thought. This is a homecoming to painting from the enjoyment of the act of painting in its basic, simple and uncomplicated form, which revels in the rediscovery of the image for both the painter and the viewer.
ืจืืชื ืื ืืจ
ืืืงืื ืื ืืฉืืืืช ืืจืื
ืืืช ืืื ืฉืื
ืืืงืื ืฉืื ื ืืฆื ืืืืฃ - ืืฉืืืืช ืจืื ืืืื ืืช ืฉื ืจืืชื ืื ืืจ. ืจืืื ืฉื ืืืฆืืจื ืืืืืคืืฉ ืืืจ ืืจืื ืืืืืื ืืืืคืืืืืื, ืืืฆืืช ืืืืื ืคืืืืืื, ืื ืข ืืื ืืงืื ืงืจืื ืืืืืื ื. ืืฆืืืจืื ืขืฆืื ืื ืืืืฆืขื ืืืืคืืฉ ืืืจ ืืฆืืืืช, ืฉื ืขืืจืช ืื ืืฆืืื ืืขืืจ, ืืขืฉืืื ืืืืกืืฃ ืจืืื ืืืฆืืืืช ืืืืืจืช ืืืืืฉืืช. ืืชืื ืืืืคืืฉ ืืื ื ืืฆืจืช ืืฆืืืจืื ืืืืืจื ืื ืขื ืขื ืืฆืืจ ืฉืืื ืืงืกืคืจืกืืืืืช-ืืฆืืจืชืืช-ืืืงืืจืชืืช ืื ืืืืืืช ืฉืืืช-ืื. ืจืื ืืืื ืืช ืืฆืืืื ืืชืช ืืืืื ืื ืืืืฃ ืฉืืื ื ื ืืื ืคืืืืช.

ืืื ืงืจืืื ืื, ืืงืจืืืืง ืืืืงืช ืคืืืื ื ืขื ืขืฅ, 33.5X33.5 ืก"ื, 2018
ืืฆืืจืืฃ ืฉื ืฆืืืจ ืืงืกืคืจืกืืื ืืฉืืืื ืขื ืืชืคืจืฆืืช ืฉื ืฆืืืจ ื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืชืืื ื ืืช ืืขืืืง ืืชืื ืื ืืืืืืืืื ืืืืคื ืืฆืืจืชื ืืืืฉ. ืฉื ื ืืคืืื ืืชืงืืืืื ืืืืฉืื ืืืฆืืจืชืืช ืื ืฉืคืืื ืื ืคื ื ืื ืืืจ ืืืืฆืขื ืืืชืืืืืืช ืขื ืืกืชืืจืืช. ืื ืืืช ืฆืืข ืชืืืืชืืืช ืืฆื ืกืืืืจ ืืืืฉืื ืืืืืืืืงืืื, ืื ืฉืืืืืฆืจ ืืืืื ืืขื ืืืืื ืฉืืฉ ืืคืขื ืื. ืื ืืืืืืช ืฉื ืืชืืืืจืื ืฉืืืช-ืื ืืขืื ืืืงืกืคืจืกืืืืืช ืืืืื ื ืืชืืื ื ืืช ืืืงืืจืชืืช ืืืืฆืขืืช ืืื ื ืืกืฃ ืฉื ืืืื ืช ืืืืื ืืช ืืืืฉืืขืืืืช. ืืืืื ืืช ืืื ื ืชืืื ืืจืืจืืช ืืืฉืืืจืืช ืืงืื ืืคืจืฉื ืืช ืืืืฉืืช ืฉื ืื ืฆืืคื.
ืืจืืืช ืืืืืืืงืืื ืืืชืืืจืื ืืกืืื ื ืื ืืืืข ืฉื ืงืื ืืืืืืช ืืืืืืจืืช, ืขื ืืืื ืืืืืืชื. ืืฆื ืืืข ืื, ื ืืืจืช ืื ืืืื ืฉื ืืืืจืืช ืืืืืืจื ืืฉืืจื ืืืืืื ืฉืื ืืจ ืจืืงืืช. ืืืคื ืืฆืืจืืฃ ืืืืืืจ ืืชืืืืจืื ืขื ืคื ื ืืืืื ืืืกืืฃ ืืื ื ืืคื ืืืขืืจืจ ืชืืืฉืืช ืฉื ืืืื ืื ืืืขืช ืืืขืืจ ืืืืืจืืช ืืฆืืจืืฃ ืขืืื ืืืืืืืื. ืืชืืืืจืื ืืืืืจืื ืืฉืืงื ืืืฉื ืืืืื ืื. ืืฉืื ืืืืจ, ืืืคืื ืืืืื ืืคืืื ืืืืื ืืืืืช-ืื.

ืืืื ืืื ืืืื, ืืงืจืืืืง ืืืืงืช ืคืืืื ื ืขื ืขืฅ,
ืืฆืืืจ 'ืืืช ืืืืื' ( (Habitat), ืืืืืื, ืืฆืืข ืืฆืฆื ืื ืืืขื ืืคืชื ืื ืืจื ืืฆืืคื ืื ื ืืฃ ืืจืืืง. ืืืจืื ืืชืืืืจ ืืฆืื ืืืฃ ืืื, ืืื ืื ืกืืจ ืืืงืฃ ืืืขืืช. ืขื ืคื ื ื ืืฃ ืื ืคืืืจืื ืืื ืื ืฉืื ืื, ืฆืืืื, ืืจืืื ืืฉืืืืื. ืืืง ืืืืืืืืงืืื ืืืชืืืจืื ื ืืชื ืื ืืืืืื ืืงืืืช ืืื ืงืงืืืกืื, ืฆืืืื, ืืื ื ืืขื ืื ืืฉืืคืข, ืืืื, ืืืจืื ืืจืืจืื ืคืืืช: ืืื ืืืื ื ืืฉืืื ืืื ืืขืื ืชืืืช ื ืื? ืื ืคืฉืจ ืฆืืจืช ืืืืช ื', ืืืื ืืฆื ืืืื. ืืื ืืฆืืจื ืืื ืืขื ื ืื ืืื ืฉื ืืืืช ืืื ืืืคืฉืืช, ืื ืฉืื ืืฉืื ืืืจ?
ืืืืืื ืฉืืืฆืจืช ืจืืชื ืื ืืจ ืืื ืฉื ืืืืืืงืืื ืงืื ืงืจืืืื, ืฉืืืืืจืื ืืฆืืคื ืืคืฆืื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืืืืช ืืฉืืืื ืืจืืื ืืืจืฅ: ื ืืคืื, ืืืจืืืืืช, ืขืืืื ืืฉืื, ืฉืืื ืืืฆืืช, ืืชืจื ืคืกืืืช ืืขืื. ืืืื, ืืกืืืื ืฉืื ืื ืืฆืืืื ื ืืืืช ืืืืืืคืื ืฉื ืกืคืืจืึนืช ืืืืืืช, ืืจืืคืช ืืืื ืืืืฆืื. ืืืืืืจ ืฉื ืืืืืืงื ืืืืืืืงื ืืื ืืงืจืื, ืื ืฉื ืืฆืจ ืืจืื ืงืืืื'ืืกืื: ืืืืงื ืฉื ืืฆืืืืืืช ืืืื ืืฆืืืืช ืืืฉื, ืืืืืจื ืืจืืจื, ืืื ืืืขืฉื ืืขืจืขืจืช ืืฆืืืืช.

ืื ืื ืืฆืืื, ืืงืจืืืืง ืขื ืื, 160X50 ืก"ื, 2019
ืจืืชื ืื ืืจ ืืชืืจืช ืืช ืืืงืืืืช ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืืชื ืจืืฆื ืืืืืช, ืื ืกืืืื ืฉืื ืจืืื ื ืืฆืืช ืืฉืขืืช ืฉื ืืฆืืจื. ืืื ืชืืืืจ ืฉื ืจืื ืืืคืฉืืช ืฉื ืืืื ืืจืืฆื ืืคืจืืฅ ืื ืืขืืจ ืืืงืืืืช ืืงืื ืงืจืืืื, ืืืืฉืืื. ืื ืืฆืืืจ ืืื ืืืืืื ืืช ืืคืจืืฅ ืื ืืขืืจ ืืืืืืืช ืืืื, ืื ืืคืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืช ืจืืฉืืื ืืื ืืืืืืช ืืื, ืืงืื ืืืืื. ืืื ืฉืืจืืจ ืืืืฉืื.
ืืงืฆืช ืื ืืคืื ื ืืืื ืืฉืจืืืื ืื ืืคืฆืื ื ืืืฉืื ืืฆืืื ืืืจื ืฉื ืืืฆืืืืช ืืื ืืฉืืช. ืืขืืชืื ืฆืฆืื ืืืืืืงืืื ืืืชื ืืืืืื, ืืื ืืฆืืืจื ืืืืืื ืขื ื ืื ืืขืืื ืขืจืืืืื ืื ืืืืจ, ืืื ืฉื ืืืื ืื. ืืื ืื ืืืคืขืื ืฉืืื ื ืื ืืกืืื ืขื ืืื ืืืืฆืจืช ืืจืืฉ, ืืื ืืืืืื ืืืืืฉืื ืฆืืจื ืขื ืืื ืื ืื ืืืจ.
ืืืจืฅ ืจืืงื ืืื ืฉืื, ืืื ืื ืืืื ืืืืืืกืช ืจืง ืืื ืื ืืืคืฆืื ืฉื ืืฆืจื ืขื ืืื ืืืจื ืื ื ืืืข. ืื ื ืืฆืืื ืืืชืงืืืืื ืืืืืืืงืืื ืขืฆืืืืื, ืืขืื ืฆืืืื ืืืืืื ืฉืืกืคืจืื ืกืืคืืจืื ืฉื ืืงืื ืขืฉืืจ, ืชืืกืก ืืืื ืขื ืืืช ืืืจื. ืืืง ืื ืืฆืืืจืื ืืืืืจืื ื ืืคืื ืชืช-ืืืืื ืืืืืื, ื ืืืฉืื. ืืืื ืื ืืฆืืืจืื ืืื ืืคืฉืจ ืืืืฉ ืืงืืืื ืฉื ืืขืจืื-ืืืื ืคืืืช ืืืกืืจืื.

ืืืืจื ืื ืืจ, ืฉืื ืขื ืื ืืืืืง ืขื ืขืฅ, 26X70 ืก"ื, 2017
ืืจืื ืืืฉืืืืช ืขื ืคื ื ืืืืื ืืื ืจืื ืืกืงืจื ืืช, ืืคืืืื ืืืืึผืช ืืืฆืืจื ืืื ืื ืฉืื. ืืืืืช ื ืืืขืช ืืชืื ืืืฉืืืืช ืืืฉื ืืช ืฉื ืืฆืืขืื ืืืืฆืขืืช ืกืืื ืืคืืื ืื ืืืืืื. ืืื ืืชืื ืชืืืฉืช ืจืื ืืชืกืืกื ืฉื ืืืืฉืื ืืืฆืืจืชืืช. ืื ืืืจื ืืฆืืืจ ืืชืื ืืชืขื ืืืช ืขื ืืขืฉื ืืฆืืืจ ืืฆืืจืชื ืืืกืืกืืช, ืืคืฉืืื ืืืืฉืืจื ืืืืชืจ, ืฉืืชืขื ืืช ืขื ืืืืื ืืืืืื ืืืืฉ ืขืืืจ ืืฆืืืจืช ืืขืืืจ ืืฆืืคื, ืืืื.