New artist “incubator” opens in Jerusalem

December 11, 2009 - 8:45 AM by
Mayor Barkat with artist Miri Mass

Mayor Barkat with artist Miri Mass

The Jerusalem municipality has taken over a failed shopping center and turned it into an artist “incubator.” The new project was formally launched last night in a gala opening that featured performance art, music, wine and a visit by Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.

The space, re-christened as “Agrippas 88” (after its center city Jerusalem address) was the site of the former “Shukanion,” an attempt to create an indoor mall version of the nearby Mahane Yehuda market (“shuk” is Hebrew for market, “kanion” is mall) with easy underground parking and shopping carts. But it never caught on while Mahane Yehuda, meanwhile, has been undergoing a renaissance, now sporting gourmet cheese shops and upscale bakeries.

As a result, the city invited local artists to set up shop in the former mall. Rent is initially free, although each storefront has to pay about NIS 350 (just under $100) a month in property taxes. There’s space for 30 artists and the city has committed to promoting the space and keeping costs down for the first six months.

“What we’re trying to build is critical mass,” Mayor Barkat told me outside the shop of “mixed media” artist Miri Mass. And Agrippas 88 is just the start. The old Hansen Hospital in Talbyiah is also slated to be turned into artist quarters, while Beit Mazi downtown will house the performing arts, Barkat said.

The idea is clear: if you give artists a place to play, they’ll stay in the city. Barkat has made transforming Jerusalem in the eyes of Israelis into the country’s premiere “university town” a priority.

Not every artist at Agrippas 88 was a student, but they were definitely in the majority, creating a wide range of jewelry, pottery, photography and even origami for sale. The storefronts were funky, as was the packed opening night crowd – a unique Jerusalem mix of religious and secular all seemingly sporting artistically placed piercings.

Agrippas 88 is essentially a low rent, economically accessible version of the fancy design shops on Jerusalem’s trendy Emek Refaim Street. The space still looks like the shuk that preceded it. To wit: a lone fruit and vegetable stand remains at the entrance to the space, its owner looking entirely befuddled at the crush of kids with their dreadlocks and Indian-influenced duds. Still, while no one was buying oranges, the air was ripe with possibility.

Agrippas 88 is co-sponsored by the Jerusalem Development Authority, the Jerusalem Center of Design, and the “New Spirit” youth organization. It’s open every day from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM and on Fridays until two hours before the start of Shabbat.

Tags: • Category: A New Reality, Art, design 

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