We love the creative eco design coming out of Tel Aviv. Israel faces nationwide challenges of mismanaged waste and insufficient recycling infrastructure, but from the deserts of Morocco to the streets of Tel Aviv, artists like Yotam Shifroni and Gidi Gilam are seeking solutions through creativity. Around four months ago, Shifroni and Gilam opened Studio Sfog in Tel Aviv. Sfog means “sponge” in Hebrew. And the studio lives up to that vision, soaking up influences from the city and people around it.
“We collect disregarded things, from garden trimming to mannequin hands, working with available materials to solve a challenge through art and design,” said Gilam.
One of their recent designs, a series of chairs, drew inspiration from the Jewish legend of Golem. The chairs featured Hebrew calligraphy, images of the body, nature and death, contrasted with simple angular patterns and youthful faces.
Together, the artists have displayed their work in exhibits across Israel.
Their studio is crammed with art and junk, a maze of paintings, upcycled light fixtures and furniture and raw recyclable materials. The walls are lined with shelves, stuffed with glass jars and tools. Shifroni and Gilam herald the aesthetics of functional art, giving old materials new narratives.
“All of our materials have a certain story, a history,” said Gilam. The artists said there are numerous ways that they benefit from using trash, forgotten and recycled materials.
“We learn from the materials, learning how to make something new by taking things apart. And secondly, we can find more unique materials and interesting pieces.”
Shifroni agreed. “It feels more personal,” he said.
Images via Studio Sfog
Read more about sustainable art:
Ali Lamu Upcycles Weathered Dhow Sails into Inspiring Art
White Trash, An Ecological Group Exhibition, Opens in Tel Aviv Next Week
Garbage Art Ideas from Mary Ellen Croteau
Author: Leigh Cuen
Leigh Cuen is a freelance journalist currently reporting from Israel. She has written for the Earth Island Journal, the San Francisco Public Press, the Palestinian News Network, J. weekly newspaper and the Women News Network. Follow her @La__Cuen.
