The Right Elements

In my work, I am questioning the potential of communism, anarchism and secularism to become values in contemporary society. In an increasingly greedy and intolerant society, maybe we should turn our heads to some of the utopic ideals of the past century and find THE RIGHT ELEMENTS that might improve the ways our present societies work.
I was born and raised in a totalitarian communist society, which collapsed violently in 1989. I know it’s not working, in spite of my happy, secure, careless childhood. However, I never ceased to ask myself why, what went wrong. Why the claimed sense of solidarity and social justice were only distant ideals in 1989. And why, in 2013, the capitalism is only increasing the gap between the social reality and the ideals of the anti-communist revolution, in an increasingly unsustainable and polluted world.

I took this picture in January 2012, in Kibbutz Samar, Arabah Valley. It shows my friend from the kibbutz, the artist Digi Dekel, my friend Caius Rotaru, a sculptor visiting from Romania and myself. And Digi’s dog. And also us and the distant mountains reflecting in the mirrors of the solar power plant of the kibbutz, a landscape almost identical to the view in front of us. Even though it’s a candid photo, it has the perfect composition and selection of symbols that illustrate the concept: the ascending line of the mirror; the ups and downs of the hills, in a constant horizontal; Digi’s red T-shirt; the dog, visually linked to Digi by the sky blue cable; Digi’s smile towards me and Caius laughing at his reflection on the blue desert sky; the dust and the rocks; the ladder guarded by the dog and so on.

Kibbutz Samar is a unique place, a small society started from scratch by a group of idealist friends. They built their homes and their lives in one of the most hostile environments in the world, in the middle of the desert. Now, after nearly 40 years, their home is a thriving and sustainable environment, a piece of paradise inside the hot desert. The power plant gives them more than all the energy they need to live well and to follow their passions. Digi Dekel is a visual artist, well known in Israel and further. Yair Dalal, another one of my friends and a former member of the kibbutz, is now one of the best musicians in the world, spreading the word for peaceful coexistence. How is it possible that a communist, "anarchist" and secular society like this one be thriving?

Looking in that mirror, I am asking myself what and how to learn from these extraordinary people, to find out what we should do so our fertile and God blessed land would turn into the wonderful garden that it should be. What are other communities failing to do? Or failing to love and understand?