“Strike Gold” Art for “No Concept”- 作為なき表現者たち 展
“Strike Gold” Art for “No Concept”- 作為なき表現者たち 展
Zadok Ben-David
- Second Nature -
Second Nature brings together a curated selection of works by Zadok Ben David that, until now, have not shared the same space. Spanning multiple periods of the artist’s practice, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience these pieces in dialogue—revealing connections,
shifts in intention, and recurring motifs that thread across time.
The exhibition includes the larger installations ‘Blackfield’ and ‘The Other Side of Midnight’, as well as wall pieces ‘Evolution and Theory’ and ‘Natural Reserve’, video artworks including ‘Conversation Peace’ and ‘Same place Other Times (Panorama)’, and new aluminium sculptures using images of flowers and trees.
The selected images from nature appear in Ben David’s works as metaphors for psychological human attitudes. Human beings tend to forget that they are an equal part of nature and importantly, guests on planet Earth. Unfortunately, humanity is exploiting and constantly experimenting in order to control nature to suit never ending, immediate, needs. As a result there are backlashes and we are now facing a world in climate crisis.
shifts in intention, and recurring motifs that thread across time.
The exhibition includes the larger installations ‘Blackfield’ and ‘The Other Side of Midnight’, as well as wall pieces ‘Evolution and Theory’ and ‘Natural Reserve’, video artworks including ‘Conversation Peace’ and ‘Same place Other Times (Panorama)’, and new aluminium sculptures using images of flowers and trees.
The selected images from nature appear in Ben David’s works as metaphors for psychological human attitudes. Human beings tend to forget that they are an equal part of nature and importantly, guests on planet Earth. Unfortunately, humanity is exploiting and constantly experimenting in order to control nature to suit never ending, immediate, needs. As a result there are backlashes and we are now facing a world in climate crisis.
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All Year Round, 2024, The Rubin Museum, Israel (Photo Credit Yael Schmidt, 2024)
‘Evolution and Theory’ looks back at the development of scientific theories from the 19th century. It covers themes of gravity, magnetism, gases, optical illusions, machine technologies, and many more, alongside Darwin’s theory of evolution. It deals with the past, the search for the origin of man, and also man’s exploration of the future and scientific discovery. There is a nostalgia for a time when you could see the results of scientific experiments with the naked eye. Now, everything seems to be hidden in microchips.
‘Natural Reserve’, like ‘Evolution and Theory’, uses images predominantly drawn from 19th Century illustrated books. It includes various aspects of the nature that surround us; animals, plants, and human beings, mixed together to create a mosaic of nature. Every year a great number of creatures become extinct forever due to the actions of humans. In ‘Natural Reserve’, humans and animals are displayed equally,
they are held together, each an integral puzzle piece, all vital in creating the whole image.
The video artworks in the exhibition all share the feature of being continuous loops. ‘Conversation Peace’ contains imagery used in many of Zadok Ben David’s works over the last fifteen years, including various natural species. It uses the format of the continuous loop to tell a vicious circular story, a futile war, and humanities self destruction, which threatens to destroy our planet.
‘Natural Reserve’, like ‘Evolution and Theory’, uses images predominantly drawn from 19th Century illustrated books. It includes various aspects of the nature that surround us; animals, plants, and human beings, mixed together to create a mosaic of nature. Every year a great number of creatures become extinct forever due to the actions of humans. In ‘Natural Reserve’, humans and animals are displayed equally,
they are held together, each an integral puzzle piece, all vital in creating the whole image.
The video artworks in the exhibition all share the feature of being continuous loops. ‘Conversation Peace’ contains imagery used in many of Zadok Ben David’s works over the last fifteen years, including various natural species. It uses the format of the continuous loop to tell a vicious circular story, a futile war, and humanities self destruction, which threatens to destroy our planet.
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Conversation Peace (Video Still), 2018 -
Happy Days (Large), 2023, Milan, Italy (Photo Credit Matteo D'eletto, M3STUDIO, 2023)
Much of the artwork in the exhibition oscillates between juxtapositions; ‘The Other Side of Midnight’, is displayed in an entirely dark room, the viewer is initially lured closer with images of beautifully luminous butterflies, shown in a wonderfully vibrant sphere. Butterflies are seen as lovely creatures, if one were to land on your palm you would be filled with joy. As the viewer moves around the piece it reveals a milieux of cockroaches and beetles. They are also insects, they even have wings like butterflies, but without the enchanting colours they cause feelings of disgust and revulsion, if one would land on your hands you would brush it away. The viewer is asked to question their preconditioned notions of the way humans present themselves, and the superficiality with which we often see each other.
‘Blackfield’ begins by introducing a field of seeming destruction, a landscape of thousands of tiny blackened flowers, before revealing a kaleidoscope of colour, very much alive, as one walks around to view the other side piece. Where there is grief there is also joy, where there is despair there is always hope.
‘Blackfield’ begins by introducing a field of seeming destruction, a landscape of thousands of tiny blackened flowers, before revealing a kaleidoscope of colour, very much alive, as one walks around to view the other side piece. Where there is grief there is also joy, where there is despair there is always hope.
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The Other Side Of Midnight (Blue Side), 2012, Lawrence Wilson Gallery, Perth Festival, Australia (Photo Credit Zadok Ben David 2017) -
The Other Side Of Midnight (Colour Side), 2012, Lawrence Wilson Gallery, Perth Festival, Australia (Photo Credit Zadok Ben David 2017)
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Blackfield, 2007-2015, The 4th CAA International Printmaking Triennial, Museum of Contemporary Art, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou,China (Photo Credit Lisa Chang Lee Studio, 2025)
While each piece stands on its own, their collective presence here creates a new narrative of Zadok Ben David’s evolving artistic language, and invites the viewer to find new meaning in the collected works, specifically regarding their own place in the natural world.
By gathering these distinct pieces together, Second Nature invites viewers to reconsider the familiar and discover the unseen. The result is a fresh, layered portrait of an artist continually in motion—revisiting, reimagining, and reshaping their vision of the world around them.
This is a one-time opportunity to witness a body of work in such alignment.
By gathering these distinct pieces together, Second Nature invites viewers to reconsider the familiar and discover the unseen. The result is a fresh, layered portrait of an artist continually in motion—revisiting, reimagining, and reshaping their vision of the world around them.
This is a one-time opportunity to witness a body of work in such alignment.
- Zadok Ben-David
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Zadok Ben-David is an award-winning artist based in London and Portugal. Best known for his sculptures, installations and public artworks,Ben-David explores themes linked to human nature and evolution.His work is often referred to as poetic and magical, always oscillating between delicate miniature work and monumental installations. Metal has become Ben-David’s preferred language which contrasts with the subtle optical illusions he creates from a sometimes-rough medium.Ben-David represented his country Israel at the Venice Biennale in 1988 and participated in biennales worldwide including; The 4th CAA International Printmaking Triennial, Museum of Contemporary Art, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China (2025), XXIII Cerveira International Art Biennial, Portugal (2024), Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale (2023), XXII Cerveira International Art Biennial, Portugal (2022), Breda Photo Biennial, Netherlands (2020), Krasnoyarsk Biennale, Russia (2019), Busan Biennale, South Korea (2010); Biennale Cuvee, Austria (2009); “Wonder” Singapore Biennale, Singapore (2008) and Sculptuur Biennale, Netherlands (2007).The artist has exhibited in various galleries and museums around the world. Solo shows and group exhibitions include; Rarity Gallery, Greece (2025), Fundação Bienal De Arte De Cerveira, Portugal (2025), Chiostro del Bramante, Italy (2025), ZUMU - Museum On The Move, Israel (2024), Eilat Art Gallery, Israel (2024), Ennova Art Biennale, China (2024), The David Tower Museum, Israel (2024), The Rubin Museum, Israel (2024), Shoshana Wayne Gallery, USA (2024), Gow Langsford Gallery, New Zealand (2024), Kröller-Müller Museum, Holland (2023), Contemporary Art Museum Maebashi, Japan (2023), Itchimbia Cultural Center, Ecuador (2022), Kew Royal Botanical Gardens, London, United Kingdom (2021), The Centro de Arte Contemporânea Graça Morais, Portugal (2019), Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, France (2018), Kenpoku Art Festival, Japan (2016), Art Gallery of Uzbekistan and the Israel Museum (2015), National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana (2014), Mysteski Arsevnal, Ukraine (2012), Guangdong Art Museum, China (2007), Singapore Museum of Art, Singapore (2003), Neanderthal Museum, Germany (2000), Palais Royal, Paris, France (2000), and Kunsteuropa, Germany (1992). Ben-David has also exhibited extensively in art galleries across Europe, Australia, America, Central Asia and the Middle East, and his works are included in many public and private collections around the world.Ben-David is the recipient of numerous awards including the Grande Biennial Prémio at the XIV Biennale Internacional de Arte de Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal (2007) and the Tel Aviv Museum Prize for Sculpture (2005). In 2008, he was commissioned by the Beijing Olympics to create a unique installation. Born in Bayhan, Yemen in 1949, Ben-David immigrated to Israel the same year and graduated in Advanced Sculpture from St. Martin’s School of Art in London where he also taught from 1977-1982｜Photo : Celine Avrahami
Second Nature
- Dates
- February 14 – April 19, 2026 (Closed : February 16, 2025)
- Venue
- GYRE GALLERY | GYRE 3F, 5-10–1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Navi Dial
- 0570-05-6990 (11:00am-6:00pm)
- Organizer
- GYRE
- Installer
- Takeru Odaki, square4
- Exhibition Coordinator
- Masayuki Miyaji
- Public relations
- HiRAO INC