DAN'S PAPERS, October 24, 2008 Page 33 www.danshamptons.com
Art Commentary
by Marion Wolberg Weiss
Lemon Tree, For My Father at HIFF: Political or Not? Are They Political or Not? Lemon Tree and For My Father at Hamptons International Film Festival What makes these two Israeli films particularly intriguing is their bias and/or possible propaganda nature. What makes Lemon Tree extra fascinating is that director Eran Riklis insists that his movie is not political. (That’s why it was not included among the Festival’s “Conflict and Resolution” films, no doubt.) Of course, the term “political” can have both a dictionary definition and a subjective connotation. For our purposes here, this critic defines “political” as “taking sides,” even if that process is subtle and open to interpretation. In that context, Lemon Tree is antiIsrael, even though the director says he just wanted to present a story that was honest and human, with no fancy cinematic techniques. Riklis is correct on that point: the film is honest and human. The audience very clearly (and honestly) identifies with the Palestinian woman whose lemon grove is to be destroyed because it presents an Israeli security breach. And they connect with her because she’s the only one who seems honest, at least at first. The Israeli Minister of Defense is certainly not human and neither, initially, is his wife. Living across the road from the woman,
A still from Lemon Tree
Salma, the arrogant couple lead a stereotypical affluent life, one that seems distasteful when compared to Salma’s improvished existence. Eventually, the Minister’s wife takes Salma’s side, and she musters real courage when she leaves her husband at the end. Yet it’s Salma who remains, amidst her lemon trees (which have been pruned back to stumps) in a compromised security solution. She is the authentic heroine here. Simply put, it’s okay to be political and even to suggest a Pro-Palestinian bias. But the creator should admit it. At least a little.
Maybe Riklis was aiming for a different meaning. Maybe he was suggesting a parable that is universal in nature. After all, the song “Lemon Tree,” as popularized by Trini Lopez, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Bob Marley has nothing to do with the Middle Eastern conflict. What it signifies is the fact that the tree may be pretty to look at, but the fruit is “impossible to eat.” For My Father, directed by Dror Zahavi, is less “political” because it tries to present both sides of the Middle Eastern conflict as related to suicide bombers. The easiest way to do this is to make the Palestinian bomber a morally ambiguous, attractive man who cares more about getting his father’s honor back than any Muslim ideology. The Israelis, with whom he spends a weekend, are a dysfunctional, yet likeable, lot who are equally ambiguous about the state of Israel. Yet we know there will be no happy ending as the Israeli soldiers shoot the Palestinian dead, while also risking the lives of innocent bystanders in the marketplace . We are left with the question: Would the young man have gone through with the bombing? It’s the central theme in this moving film, an idea that was also explored in the Academy Award-winning, Paradise Now.
Honoring the Artist: Casey Anderson If this week’s cover by Casey Anderson seems a bit different to her many fans, that’s because it is somewhat different. Instead of the artist’s often lush landscapes with glorious color, there’s the image of an advancing wave about to break on the shore. Except for the bright blue sky and water in the background, the wave is devoid of Anderson’s bright pastel colors. Yet its varied hues change before our eyes. The effect is a setting that’s not “real” but evokes magic realism instead. In a nutshell, a mythical, mesmerizing image. Q: How would you characterize the wave on the cover? A: It’s the curve of the wave before it breaks, its shape, colors, power. It’s not like a wave in the Pacific, which I used to paint in California. I’m more connected to the Atlantic Ocean; I find it more tranquil and exhilarating. Q: Now that it’s fall, how do you find the season is affecting your work? A: Now, the colors are draining out of the objects. Fall prepares you for the winter, which gives you a chance to pull back. When spring comes, certain colors come out. I can’t believe some of these colors, like the blue by Long Beach. I can’t believe how nature made it that blue.
Q: How do these colors impact on your work? A: I try to find an equivalent in colors, a parallel experience that I sensed about what I’m feeling. I’m not trying to copy colors in nature. I want to highlight them, transport them. Q: That idea of creating a parallel experience is intriguing because there’s a sense of danger that I see in your image of the waves. A: Yes. I think about the waves. It’s something that man cannot control. Q: But you can control your own aesthetic development. How has that changed? A: My colors have become more sophisticated; I use more of a combination of colors to achieve my effects. Some are more effective as glazes. I‘ve learned to use a layering process, which I figured out myself. Q: What artists have influenced you in your development?
A: Matisse for one, his use of opaque colors and transparency. I try and balance these. Rothko is another artist who influenced me, how he used his paint. Q: Why is color important to you, do you think? A: It is intuitive. I remember getting my first box of crayons, loving colors, especially blue-green. I painted a wall in my house bluegreen. Q: Do you have any philosophical, rather than formal, ideas to share about your art? A: I believe everything has to be held in balance; it’s also important where a stroke comes in relationship to the edge of the painting (although that’s more practical an idea). I like to bring harmony and peace to a situation. Ms. Anderson can be contacted via her email at caseyart@hamptons.com. Her website is www.caseyart.com. – Marion Wolberg Weiss