Nuclear Capsule
Gallery specific solo exhibition
Black Box Street Gallery, Jerusalem 2021
Curated by Assaf Cohen and Izek Mizrahi
Photos and Videos- Gitai Silver
The exhibition depicts nine families from Jerusalem and its environs that form “capsules” – nuclear units defined by the physical space in which they are living, each “capsule” within its own “four cubits.” The home itself is the outer shell of the capsule, with the communities unknown to each other. Meyuhas photographed the families which were then “imprisoned” in the lightboxes: together they tell the story of an era.
The pandemic, with its continued lockdowns, forced us to create new daily routines. We have been “sheltering at home” for quite a while now, not by choice. The domestic space became an all-encompassing reality. On the surface, the same regulations applied equally to all, on personal, family, and public levels, but in practice, coping mechanisms addressing the crisis differed.
While some people enjoyed the enforced rest, telecommuting, and being at home, others were not ready for the enforced new way of life.
Some people live in densely crowded homes and are unable to enjoy even basic privacy, while others are suffering from loneliness more severe than they ever experienced.
The new reality reveals fundamental differences and deep gaps between homes and families. Along with open expressions of brotherhood, the uncertainty is intensifying prejudice and the inborn suspicion of “the other.”