Bat Yiftach
2019
papier-mâché, 240 × 100 × 120 cm
The biblical story in the Book of Judges about Jephthah’s daughter is a tragic tale of a father sacrificing his only daughter. Before setting out to battle the Ammonites, Jephthah vows that if he triumphs over his enemies, he will sacrifice as an offering to God the first creature to greet him upon his return. Jephthah’s daughter, who knew nothing of his vow, set out to welcome him dancing. Her father fulfilled his vow and sacrificed her.
This work revolved around my interest in the motif of female victimhood, as reflected in the story of Jephthah and his daughter. The girl’s taut adolescent body, which is portrayed in paper mache’, pigment, and metal armature, shows her holding two contrasting elements: a tambourine and a welding mask. The tambourine is attributed to her art history as she is usually shown dancing in celebration of her father’s victory. The welding mask is an element borrowed from my studio.
