"Flag"
Photo: Motti Kimchi
New exhibit shows slumping Israeli flag, draws culture minister's ire
Political art installation erected in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square shows a tilted Israeli that is about to fall; it's creator says it signifies the state of the country—in-between, standing yet prone to fall.
A new controversial art installation of an Israeli flag atop a tilted mast, which appears about to fall, was erected at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on Monday morning.
Sculptor Itai Zlait, who created the exhibit—called "Flag"—explained that it signifies the country's "interim state," between order and disorder, prosperity and austerity, democracy and tyranny.
"When a flag stands, it signifies a proper state and conduct, but the flag behind me is in an interim state, in between, in a tilted state—and this is the situation of Israel in 2018," Zlait told Ynet in an interview near his installation.
"Flag" (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
Zlait has already made waves with his 2016 golden statue of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which he also erected in Rabin Square.
He called that exhibit "King Bibi," referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. In the end, the statue was taken down as Zlait had not received approval from the municipality to erect it there.
"The pillars of the democratic structure are swaying, and we are in a historic place where everything can be completely dismantled," he warned.
"What I'm trying to do is show the depth of the rift we're in. We are exposed to a lot of hatred and lack of information, and I've tried to show it neutrally," he added.
"King Bibi" being torn down (צילום: AP)
Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev dismissed Zlait's exhibit as "cheap and outrageous political provocation from fringe leftist circles, for whom (any day of) right-wing rule is a day of mourning."
"The flag stands to fall only in certain parts of society and for extremists who are not willing to accept the decision of the voter," she slammed.
"While the whole of Israel is proudly waving the flag, there are those who choose to take it down. We will continue to proudly wave the flag and honor it."
Zlait denied this installation is politically motivated, saying that, unlike with "King Bibi," it was meant to "connect all groups of the population."
