ARMA THEATRE, ISRAEL, PRESENTING- "Point Of Departure"-

 Interdisciplinary Theatre Performance and Gallery Exhibition

  The project (show/spectacle) "Point Of Departure",

 composes the artistic work of Gertrud Kraus,

 the Modernist era and the present era,

 in which different art streams are represented, such as:

 post-modern architecture, art of Installation and Performance art,

 Earth art, World music, Physical Theatre, Movement,

Dance Theatre and Site Specific Theatre.

The work connects the different arts streams and purifies them

 into a sum total of one creation, closing the circle,

100 years after the beginning of Modernism.

The project combines diverse art domains like theatre, dance,

 music, plastic-art, video-art, and special light design.

 This is a perfect project for residency work. The main themes

 of work remain the same- but the project changes

 along with the paticipating artists.

 The show can take place in an alternative Theatre space or

 Art Gallery.we combine an Installation which is part of the

 performance and an art exhibition around the space.

 The dynamic arena changes shape and texture during the show.

 Around the arena, the exhibition is composed of painting,

 sculpture and diverse design work, by the participating local artists.

 Inside and outside the arena, the theatrical event, takes place.

 While there is no performance , the metamorphosed arena

 continues to function as part of the whole installation (video-art,

 music and diverse means of display) and as an inseparable

part of the exhibition around it.

 Gertrud Kraus, who was born in Austria in the year 1903, is a symbol and example of an artist who combined ideology and art, determination and a strong belief in her way. She was the representative of the new Expressionist, innovative dance.

 Gertrud was a "total artist", engaged in painting, sculpting and music as well. Her instructive life story reflects the true spirit of a universal artist, whose art breaks conventions and unites people. Gertrud Kraus lived and created in Austria and Germany between the years 1903-1935, the year she had to immigrate to Israel. In Israel she continued to create, teach and influence many artists till her death in 1977. Her artistic heritage influences artists until today.

 Gertrud Kraus brought with her, to Israel, international inspiration from a volatile era, an era full of changes, between the two world wars. On the agenda were: total changes in the worldly order, crushed economy and the horrors of war. All these issues, found a diverse way of expression, in the different art streams that rose at the time and marked the way to new and innovative kinds of art. It was the beginning of the era of Modernism, a thrilling era for art-work, with all the new art being created in a time of changes and turnabout.

 Gertrud Kraus symbolizes for us, a "point of departure" from which we are drawn into a time full of social and cultural upheavals, at the beginning of the 20th Century. Today, 100 years later, at the dawn of the 21st Century, when we observe social-political issues, it seems like "there is no new news under the sun…" all over the world.

 In the world today, we live in a constant situation of "between wars", shattered economy, unemployment, class differences and the cultural-economic gap which is growing more and more as time passes, also, we are witnesses to causeless hatred and loss of human values.  We see a mass of immigrants moving to European and American countries, changing, undoubtedly, the demographic map and creating the same problems of native-born against immigrants, right against left etc…

After such a murderous 20th century, we believe that artists like Gertrud Kraus should have been the moral leaders-   The open-mind which Kraus exemplified in her way of living and creating as an artist, is the kind of open-mind, people all over the world should have as their motto in the 21st century.

The closed circular arena being used in the project is like the circle of life and history  and art- repeating itself; it is birth and death and rebirth, over and over again.

 Looking at the art that has been made during the 20th Century, we can see that it has become less dogmatic and more open to changes. The Modern art became complicated due to questions that came up, like: what is art? Who can or is it at all possible to judge it or criticize it? These questions lead us to ask more questions like: Where is the art of the 21st Century going? What is the influence of the political & social processes taking place now,   on the art being created? If at all…

 As artists, we have a deep belief in putting the above

social issues on the artistic agenda,

 but not only as Jews, but as citizens of the world.

We believe that projects like "point of Departure",

who join artists of different religion,

 nationality , education and general or artistic background,

 can create a melting-pot of cultures and new art

which will be the marker of a mentally stronger, healthier society.

A society with no prejudice, practicing

 mutual respect, love and friendship to

 any human-being. This may sound naïve, but changes

 start, many times,

with influencing art-work and children's education…