In this episode Tali Zeloof talks to Yifat Bezalel, an artist, teacher and profound spiritual thinker. Influenced by Jewish mysticism, feminism, philosophy and literature, Yifat’s ethereal drawings and evocative videos invite us to enter a mysterious realm.

Her work can be found in prestigious public and private collections worldwide including the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Deutche Bank Collection, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the Wirth Private Collection and the Art Partners Fund NY.

Embedded within Yifat’s compositions are familiar figures from children’s literature, references to masterpieces by Michelangelo and Bernini as well as religious iconography. These motifs carry symbolic weight; they are devotional but not dogmatic. Rather, we recognise the imagery of saints, temples and even Alice from Alice in Wonderland as entry points to explore more universal themes of life and death, love and suffering, triumph and tragedy.

This interview was conducted in Yifat’s studio in Tel Aviv, Israel. We are in a particularly difficult moment in history, following the aftermath of the October 7th attack and the Israel-Hamas war, so the conversation oscillates between the personal and professional. Yifat is a steward of spiritual thinking and her work presents us with an invitation for introspection, meditation and revelation.

Links mentioned in this episode:
https://residencyunlimited.org/residencies/yifat-bezalel/
https://miravkatri.com/artists/yifat-bezalel/
https://www.tamuseum.org.il/en/exhibition/yifat-bezalel-tehilla/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgmaRJWDEQ0

Follow us:
Tali Zeloof @tzeloof
Cover Artwork by @see.aiche
Music by @LiranDonin
Sound editing @avapomagrin
Website - https://bio.link/mattersoftheart
This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm