What did Youval Hai's camera len capture in the researchers rooms of The Buber Fellows Programme? If one can guess whether this is the room of a philosopher or the room of a historian.

Zadok Ben David

Opening Date: 4 June, 2018

An exploration of human nature, and the human figure as part of the natural

environment, have been prevailing themes in Ben-David’s work. Animals, plants and

invisible natural forces, like gravity and light, are used as metaphors and tools to

examine and explore human behaviour.

Ben-David’s ability to communicate can be seen as an infinite string of unconscious

elements exploring our identity and testing our ideas and emotions.Scientific

discoveries and innovation, as well as illusion and magic, create a series of

propositions in Ben-David’s work concerning the absurd, as well as the hope,

inherent in the human condition.

Evolution and Theory is my first installation and is still the largest.

Most of the images were inspired by illustrations found in late nineteenth-century scientific

books. There are 250 sculptures, all hand cut from aluminium sheet and hand painted.

Individual pieces range in size from 20 cm to 2.8 metres high. Large and small pieces are

juxtaposed, seemingly at random, their bases concealed by a thin layer of fine sand. The

installation occupies a floor area of 400 square metres and took three years to complet.

What Makes Us Human

Opening Date: April, 2017

The Natural History Collections at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem enable us to study the animals, plants and minerals of the Land of Israel and the Mediterranean basin. The Natural History Collections are an integral part of the heritage of the society and the state. The natural treasures that document our environment from the geological era up to the present day are deposited in the national collections and represent variability through time and space for each species. The National Natural History Collections form a reliable and readily available repository for comparing and studying the changes that constantly occur in the flora and fauna of our surroundings. The information obtained here is unique and of great importance for the study of extinct species, for the development of nature conservation programs, and for the advancement of agriculture and medicine. Through the use of comparative collections, DNA tests deriving from specimens in the collections, and other modern methods, scientists can identify species and determine the variability (e.g. morphological, genetic) within species and among close species. Every description of a species new to science also designates a holotype, which represents the species’ characters and bears its name. Beyond this wall you can find out about the work of evolutionary biologists and naturalists, see selected specimens and experience the work of a taxonomist.

Academic Consultancy: The Israeli National Natural History
Collections staffThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Production: Orna Bar

National Natural History Collections