Portrait‭, ‬video film‭. ‬1999

The following is from the book‭: ‬“Adina Bar-On‭, ‬Performance Artist”‭ ‬by Idit Porat, published by Kibbutz Hameuchad Ltd., Herzlyia museum of art‭ ‬and Adina Bar-On.

Portrait‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬a video work at the”White Nights”‭ ‬exhibitions‭, ‬Art Focus events‭, ‬Jerusalem‭: ‬the first work done from the outset as an independent video work

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[‬A prolonged shot of the desert landscape visible in the space between Adina’s bent arm and her body‭.]‬

‭[‬Text in bold characters were spoken in Hebrew‭; ‬Those  ‬slanted were spoken in English‭]‬

It’s‭… ‬It’s‭… ‬It’s‭… ‬it’s not at all something that I would judge in‭ (‬giggle‭) ‬an absolute way‭. ‬It’s kind of‭… ‬Yes‭ (‬laughs to‭ ‬herself‭)‬

Wha‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬what do you think of it‭ ?‬

 We just‭, ‬we just have to let it‭ ‬‮…‬‭ ‬you know‭ ‬‮…‬‭ ‬just pass‭… ‬Oh‭… ‬just make itself happen of‭… ‬of‭… ‬it’s not out of thin air but‭ ‬definitely

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[‬sigh‭]‬

I assume this‭, ‬it’s‭… ‬this is probably the best picture I could vouch for‭… ‬isn’t‭, ‬isn’t it‭ ?‬

I mean‭, ‬I love this perfection‭. ‬I‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬LOVE‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬IT absolutely‭. ‬There I something so‭… ‬so‭… ‬so‭…‬

How is the picture‭? -‬Is it‭ – ?‬

How is the picture‭?‬

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[‬The voice of the cameraman‭, ‬responding to her question‭, ‬is heard in the background‭.]‬

I can hardly describe to you the beauty of these places untouched‭.‬

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[‬Adina lowers her head‭, ‬rubs her eyes‭, ‬and repeats a text to herself‭. ‬Then she instructs herself and the photographer to continue‭.]‬

OK‭, ‬do it again‭.‬

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[‬Looks directly at the camera‭.]‬

I could never do any justice in describing this beauty to you‭. ‬These shrubs so green and the red winged fly‭. And PEOPLE‭, ‬they become so playful when they come in touch

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[‬The camera lens opens to the landscape‭.]‬

It is really a matter of the relationship between human being‭, ‬the horizon and the sun‭. ‬There is something about this relationship that reveals itself‭, ‬again and again‭, ‬in children’s paintings‭, ‬in paintings‭… ‬in photographs‭… ‬They actually describe the situation‭. – ‬the human situation

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[‬Adina turns to the photographer‭]‬

You know what I mean‭?‬

Good‭.‬

What does this picture look like now‭?‬

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[‬The photographer answers Adina‭]‬

‭[‬Adina settles herself on the chair and says‭]‬

I truly believed that the investment‭, ‬the dedication to my work

as an artist‭, ‬a teacher‭, ‬a mother and a sister

will further my redemption‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬our redemption‭!‬

I still believe that the investment‭, ‬the dedication to my work‭,‬

as an artist‭, ‬a teacher‭, ‬a mother and a sister

will further my redemption‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬our redemption‭!‬

Of course my life’s work,has yielded fruit‭, ‬but what of this growing fatigue and withering strength‭?‬

I still believe that my work will reap an abundance‭,‬

a radiance of good days‭!‬