David Rubinger : Capturing the Truth, 1947-1997

The photographer, David Rubinger, the Israel Prize laureate for Communication who died last year was one of a small selected group of photographers whose works are etched on local and international memory. His endeavor began at the end of the enlisted "Zionist photography" period, that dominated the local photography scene until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. This exhibition is a journey into the memory of Rubinger - one of Israel's photographers who mediated - between history and us - decisive moments and places. It is also affords us a view of the past, to the moments of hope and despair in the State of Israel. To this end the exhibit shows a concise selection of photos that Rubinger captured over fifty years of creative and documentary work. It is the first attempt to mount a museum presentation of his professional endeavor - combining both an aesthetic point of view and a documentary one. The choice of well-known historical photos and positioning them alongside less known photos (which bear an aesthetic or political connection), seeks to express interpretations with an added value, as well as a re-reading of photojournalistic photography as an artistic enterprise. For example, the pair of photos, The Lifesavers at the Tel Aviv Beach (1952), alongside The Paratroopers at the Western Wall in the Six Day War (1967): this encounter shows Rubinger's heroic photographic angle, as it formulated over time, the straw hats turning into soldiers' helmets, bathing suits turning into military uniforms and combat vests, the liberal city along the sea clashing with the city of stone and religion. The five men share a look toward the horizon - a look that holds both the past and the future. From here we embark on a journey into our past, a journey that calls for self-examination and introspection: what is our own personal truth?
source: museums.gov.il