In retrospect it appears that the major issue confronted by Danziger in his ‘oeuvre arase from the need to redefine ‘the unique meaning of sculpture as a ‘medium or as an artistic expression. in the forty years of his artistic career Danziger reexamined the essence of ‘sculpture by focussing on two principal ‘areas: space and time. ifn the early ‘works his sculpture occupied space as ‘an immediately perceivable static object, ‘the objact was reduced almost to the point of total elimination ‘and the sculptural experience was ‘extended into a process of transitions in time and space, occurring in the Jandscape and merging into an organic ‘continuity of encoumters between man ‘and place. While the transformation of ‘sculpture from an idealized static stato to.an entirely transitory medium made the encounter with t, both for the artist and the observer, an event of few ‘expectations, italso based the artistic creation on a ceaseless, dynamic, infinite and unfathomable system. The fluid systems of nature and the landscape where flora and fauna ‘cyclicaly live and die, repeatedly demonstrate the yet unsolved enigma of the laws of existence: "No idea, no systems, no structures. no abstractions ‘could hold themselves together in the actuality of that phenomenological ‘evidence” (Robert Smithson, in his introduction to “The Spiral Jetty”. 1969-70), Nevertheless, or perhaps AN ENCOUNTER WITH A PLACE Mordechai Omer precisely because of the very absurdity of the attempt, Danziger believed that al the artist could do was to remain close tonature itself, to retum to the landscape, to the secretladen traditions ‘and mystical beliefs which were, and still are, an integra! part of the cultural ‘ecology of each and every “place”. ‘There, in those fragile intermediary areas batween the inhabitant and his habitat, between the landscape and the ‘population residing within its boundaries, the thread of life would be rewoven and a work of art unifying ‘matter and spirit would be created. Immediately upon his return to Israel after studying at the Slade Schoo! of Fine Arts in Landon (1938), Danziger began his search for sculptures thet would give expression to the timo and to ‘the place in which he lived — that ‘exciting crossroads which was Patestine ‘on the eve of the Second World Wer. There, deep-rooted oriental traditions converged organically, or almost naturely, with offshoots of the finest ‘contemporary westem movements. In his horne on Gruzenberg Street, he hoard his father, the surgeon, 2 representative of the most progressive Berlin culture, play Haycion and Wagner ‘on the piano, while on the next street. con his way to the Shabazi neighbourhood: “The street hums softly at night from every lit window of a house of study and prayer. A secret ‘mumbling risas and falls, grows louder and fades away, alternately gathering ‘momentum and easing up. spreeding ‘over the street, gently conquering it” (Natan Alterman, Little Tel Aviv, Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishing Co., p. 24) {tis from this provocative meeting of different cultures that “Nimrod” and “Shabazia, cornerstones in the history of Israeli sculpture, were bom. These “And he lighted upon a certain pisce ‘and tarred there al night ‘because the sun was Sot; ‘end he took the stones of that place. ‘and put them for his plows. and ley down in that place 10 sleep. ‘And he dreamed...” Genesis 28:11-12 two works, as wellas others produced in the same period, combine archaic ‘elements drawn from ancient traditions, ‘such as Egyptian or indian art, with ‘modem approaches close to Fauvism or primitive Expressionism. The primitive ‘world preoccupied Danziger while stil a ‘student in England. Much of his tio there was spent in the British Museum halls of ancient art where he studiod the works of ancient Egypt. Assyria, India ‘and Africa. In 1997, ina book on African art that he gave to Marian, a classmate who was lator to become his frst wife, Danziger wrote: “There is a great deal to feam from this art, despite the fact that it gives you nightmares”. ‘Danziger found in the figure of Ninnrod symbol ofthe creativity in rebellion, bom of the essential process of doubt ‘and soutsearching, and evolving into its ‘own truth, The metamorphosis of ‘Nimrod’ in Danziger's oeuvre ‘connects it both iconographicaly and formalistcally tothe figure of King Saul ‘who appears quite frequently in his: ‘drawings from that period. In these two heroes or antitheroes, Danziger saw the troubled soul repeatedly attempting to define its idontity. Originally shepherds, both were non-conformists who relied ‘on their feelings and emotions to the point of rebelling “against God”. Today it seems that they represonted for Danziger something of the Sartrian antihero whois destined “to lve the suffering and the death of God to the very end”. The material from which “Nimrod” was shaped also linked the sculpture inseparably with its “place”. The body ‘was carved from red Nubian sandstone brought from Petra, the ancient Nubian city carved entirely in the rock. The _‘cultural and human transformation before it reached Danziger's studio. ‘Arab labourers who worked for the Dead ‘Sea Company brought it 10 Tel Aviv to be used either as a millstone ora whetstone, The sculpture thus ‘constituted a meeting point of the heroic myth, the inhabitants of the place and the sandy desert rock. Danziger passed the Second World War in Palestine, where he was associated with the Paimach. Those years offered him the opportunity to o ‘new landscapes and witness the different life-styles of the country’s inhabitants. Infact, it was those pioneering” experiences connected t the lore and rituals of sheep-shearing, 10 the establishment of new settlements: ‘and to the planting of troes, that provided Denzigor with the associations that were to appear almost obsessively inhis lator hit. The sheep shearing festivals celebrated near Gideon's Cave at the Harod Spring (1938) formed the basis for the idea to create a toternlike tent pole topped by a ram’s head. This “central tent”, which was intended as backdrop ‘and stage for performances of folklore ‘and mythology by young kibbutz members of the Jezree! Valley. reappeared twenty years fater in ‘"Shepherd King”. a sculpture which was to serve as the focal point for the Billy Rose Garden of the Israe! Museum. The pioneering epic. associated with the desert and the ‘Shopherds, was crystallized in a symbol incorporating several of the distinctive ‘values of the capital of israel: The ‘shepherd's stafl, recalling thenoble Tineage of the shepherds and judges who were the leaders and the kings oF the nation, the disc at the top of the ‘sculpture facing east towards the rising ‘sun, and the ram's homs, transformed into a musical instrument of sorts, reminding us of rituals and festivals and ‘connected to the sound of the shoter The idea for the sculpture “Sheop” was also inspired by fandscapes he treversed in his youth, this time in the ‘southem part of the country, particularly the Negev desert. While traveling in the prea of Kfar Yeruham, Danziger noted thot the domesticated animals bolonging to the desert inhabitants ooked ike tents, with their legs sticking ‘ut like tentpoles. The desert andscape ‘and the domestication of ko within roused in him the need to connect the ‘animal withthe landscape, t0 transform itimto the shape of a wadi slope with the tent merging completely ito it, When "The Sheep” was exhibited inthe "Now Horizons" exhibition in 1956, Marce! “Tanco remarked to Danzigor: "Your Topographical map is quite interesting ‘nila C. Seitz. Curator of Conte “Arta the Museum of ‘Modern Artin Now York, who visited {sraalin 1963 to prepare the exhibition “art istael 1964” tobe shown in he United States and Canads, summed UP his visit to Danziger's studio: “Inspired in part by Tizhak Danziger the reclamation of the Negev Desens tiving birth toa new concept of forms dnd space. Like the severe but offen ‘peoutifulferro-concrete water towers that dot the israel landscape, these new conceptions —_most of them stiin the ‘minds of thoir creators, on drawing poards, existing in small skeaches — merge scubpture with architecture and nature utlty with pure form. Danzigor's ‘monuments in steeland stone, Severe nd uncompromising, containa promise ofthe new art. The recent ‘Sheopin the Negev. at once sculpture and shelter symbolizes his 1. ‘An important group in this exhibition. «-Shoepfolds", represents a series 0” which Danziger worked as a direct ‘continuation of “Sheep”, and which fxpressed his need to design sculpture {35 elements which both belong to. and Complete, the landscape. In addition t0 their being functional structures which ‘sorve as enclosures fr arials, the “"Sheeptolds” are visual focal points in tne landscapes for the inhabitants to meetin and refer to, The sources Of these “Structures in the Landscape” bring us back once again to the loca! tradhions that have been preserved thousands of years: the desert attached to the Beduin tent ‘and both are easily assembled and dismantled during the tribe's wanderings. The transient nature of 98 Structure was emphasized by the fragile joining ofthe wax pates to create a” ‘enclosure haf built and half destroyed. for 56yor pres one 79 Guomeme se im Town,onthe sarbem slopes of out Cart Danziger returned to Israel in 1958 after a decade's sojournin Pars and London, Immediately upon his turn, he joined the established group of avant-garde artists known as “New Horizons”, in which, in adltion this friend Zortsky and the sculptors Dov Foigon and Moshe Stemnschuss, two of his former apprentices from the Gruzenberg studio, Yehiel Shem and sso Eul, were also active. n this period Danziger began to scupt in ‘welded ion, where the soldering and ‘welding ofthe ron plates and bars were {eft exposed tothe viewer. These ‘sculptures were composed of abstract ‘geometrical forms which wore based on ‘lean lines and centred on a vertical or porirontal axis relating to space asa ‘two-dimensional surface, In these ‘sculptures of the late fities Danziger showed a cortain affinity withthe Constructivist School, and a first glance it appears that the meaning of the scufptures begins and ends in the ‘synthesis of the abstract forms. In an ‘attempt to explain “abstract art, Danziger remarked: “Ie good abstract sculpture does not cary with t associations to realty, despite the fact thatit originates from reality. We ive in pature and aro influenced by it: tho laws ‘of geology, the changes taking place in ature overa certain period of tie. ail of these affect us. When we come ‘across square-shaped body, a table, @ car, a sepulohre, we react in one way or another. We are sensitive toangles, 10 the passage through a narrow street 10 awadi 102 sharp incline, to vertical growth, to the faling shadow. Allof these offect us emotionally. “Abstract art relates to reality with a total integration without the romantic ‘perspective accompanying it. Wher! was involved with figurative at, looked at things as if thoy wore part of a topography in that | was trying tofind the fundamental elements of nature The force which holds the various ‘elements togetheris the abstract ‘composition, without the perspective, which, ia my opinion, destroyed refined art which reached its peak with the artist Giotio. Why do we calla certain expanse —a landscape? Why are we ‘accustomed to spesking so gibly about ‘such highly abstract concepts as emotion, association etc. but whan we ‘suggest that someone build en object which neither resembles a dog. nor ‘Noah's ark, nor anything thats clearly dofined, suchas "Genesis" — hes stunned, People are afia'd 232 Le NCOUN TEL anew world of abstract concepts because, in fact, they really want to worship the Golden Calf” [Lamerhav, 2-10-1959). In the fifth decade of his ife, in addition to his abstract sculptures. ‘Danziger participated in aremarkabio "number of projects having to do with the ‘construction of monuments and the ‘design of public and private gardens and plazas. “My entire orientation in ‘sculpture, Danziger notedin an interview when he received the Israe! Prize for Painting and Sculpture, “was directed to the outside, to erecting ‘sculptures outin the open, in the landscape. The major problem was how tohave a work merge not only into.a natural landscape, but into an urban one, ‘and this had implications for the planning and building of cities” (Yediot ‘Aharonot, 3-5-1968). Mast of the projects remained at the proposal stage — such as the Negev Memorial (1956), the Auschwitz Memorial (1959). and the Jerusalem Road Fighters’ Memorial (1960): anty a fevy, like the memorial to ‘Shlomo Ben Joseph in Rosh Pina (1967) ‘or the memorial for fallen soldiers in Holon (1961), were actually alized. Later, and from a retrospective viewpoint, Danziger came closer and closer to concepts of landmarks and ‘memorials that reduced the presence of the sculptured objects and allowed natural phenomena such as light to act as a direct and autonomous component Of the work. His proposal for the planning of Horz's grave (1951), is one Of the first attempts in his work 10 liberate part of the landscape in order to use it as an open stage for the sun and the movenent of ight. Without violating the mountain and paying the strictest attention to the natural line of the landscape, the grave was placed in the centre of the circumscribed area with the imention that changes brought by the seasons would bo evident through the ceaseless play of light and shadow ‘on the suriace of the area.