Over Vriendschap..

Artist: Joseph Sassoon Semah

Exile, hospitality and friendship are key themes in the work of Joseph Sassoon Semah (b. 1948, Baghdad). In 1950 he and his parents were forced to leave Iraq for Israel, and Joseph eventually arrived in Amsterdam in 1981, via London, Berlin and Paris. On Friendship… will for the first time bring together 36 architectural models of houses, a synagogue, schools and cultural buildings made by Sassoon Semah that refer to the liberal Jewish culture of his Babylonian ancestors – a culture which, he says, barely exists except in memory now.

The work of Sassoon Semah allows plenty of scope for critical reflection on identity, history and tradition, and is part of the artist’s long exploration of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity as sources of western art and culture. The aspirations of his grandfather, the Chief Rabbi of Baghdad, to promote dialogue between different religions and world views, resonates in everything he makes.

Until 21 March
Stadhouderslaan 41

Guide

The Grey Space in the Middle
Sinarts Gallery
Galerie Maurits van de Laar
Museum Rijswijk
Museum Rijswijk
Galerie Ramakers
exhibition
until 25 June

Alphabetum XIII

Mallarmé
West Den Haag
Stroom Den Haag
exhibition
until 02 July

Solo exhibition Chen Ruo Bing

Chabot
exhibition
until 09 July

Natuurlijk

Ghita Skali
1646
exhibition
until 16 July

(、ン、)

Alexandre Lavet
Dürst Britt & Mayhew
WTC The Hague Art Gallery
West Den Haag
Biennale Noordwijk
West Den Haag
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