תמר גרצ'וק

My Work – A Word of Enlightenment

       Some would argue that a work of art requires no word of explanation. Some would contradict that statement.  I hold the solution to satisfy both opinions.  Those who do not wish for explanations, and find them unnecessary, hold the full and legal right not to read this booklet.  Those who wish for explanations, is to view a variety of ideas which passed through my mind during my holy work, as well as prior to it, and thereafter.  However, those ideas that dawned at me later on, are usually the best ones, but could not be promptly included in my work and for that I offer my apologies.

  "Progress"

       The work is divided into entirely different entities, which become one whole unit.  The cold, rigid mechanical word, is represented by a robot-girl, of the computer generation; future generation; the generation of progress.  Beside her stand statues which reflect art in a cold, metal reality.  At a distance, a countryside landscape, symbolizing life in nature, and human warmth, drifting away and seems unreachable through the pitch- black partition, separating both worlds.

The "Sorcerer" ( or:  "The Prophetess" )

       The super sensual world fascinated me even back in my early years, in Bible classes, and when I first came across the parapsychology book by Professor Zeitlin, who was a close friend of the well-known author Isaac Bashevis Singer.  Those two geniuses did not fear to observe, investigate, and learn the super sensual world through sober eyes. 
They even experienced such phenomena and shared them in their written works with the whole world.   The unicorn symbol is displayed above the feminine character's head, who is composed of symbolic integrated parts, also taken from folklore stories and classical youth literature.  The character has three arms.  The third arm symbolized ''the third intuitive eye''; all three arms are extended toward the unknown, in a state of hypnosis.  They are coming forth from the Heart Card, which represents emotions.  The heart medallion on her neck is locked, implying the hidden and secretive.  A similar medallion is wrapped around her foot, which is touching another card, implying of reflexology and foot's concealed information.

"The Tallit", 

       Two Hassidic Jews, questionably ghosts, stand facing each other, with a shadow of a wing-spread angel between them.  In a distance, white-winged pigeons are flying, and above, the protective Tallit, which symbolizes Judaism, faith, and purity.  It is there, to the Tallit, where they gaze, and they yearn.

 "War  and  Peace",  

      The images remind of the bowling game, as well as ofthe chess soliders.  They represent the miserable masses during a time of war.  Most of them face the partly lit door of the gloomy hall of shadows.  The image of the doll whose face are painted with ''Indian war paint'', gazes at the observer with cold fear; by her side, a shadow of a soldier carrying a rifle on his one shoulder, and holding a gun in his other hand.  In the middle above, a black pole is raised, bearing the symbol of Mars, the gold of war in Greek mythology (a circle with a diagonal arrow on its upper right side).  And here, on an elongated coffin, the peace dove is seated, white and her arms crossed, observing the occurrences in a quiet helplessness, awaiting the longed-for peace.

"The Wolf Will Live with the Lamb",   

       An oil-paintwork, from a satiric series which involves the animals during the Days of the Messiah, a story I wrote for youth.  Here both are seated, facing each other, with a serene landscape in the background.  She wears ''Little Red Riding Hood'' clothes, while he holds a red wool knot, being her knitting helpmate. 

"End of days",   

      On Page 39, a gouache painting, where the two are calmly seated.  At their feet, lay segments of grass and wool knots.  As fully equal partners, they knit the Days of the Messiah.  The blazing sun is gazing at them from above, smiling and lowering a peace dove shaped fan, for a cooler ambience.