Course General Description

The key to creating and innovating in the field of contemporary art lies in understanding of the intellectual depth of art and maximizing the specific advantages of the artist’s location and work environment. Bezalel Master in Fine Arts program is a one of a kind program in Israel, which trains artists who can find their place in the local and international art world and maintain an active and productive practice. Building on the foundations that the students establish during and after their undergraduate studies, the program acts as a conceptual incubator that supports the creation of an original, cohesive, inquisitive, and experimental body of work, which is presented in the final exhibition. Alongside the local context, the program also underscores the global cultural framework, and includes a spectrum of international collaborations with lecturers, artists, and peer programs from all over the world.

School General Description

Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design is an academic college of design and art located in Jerusalem, Israel. Established in 1906 by Jewish painter and sculptor Boris Schatz, Bezalel is Israel's oldest institution of higher education. It is named for the Biblical figure Bezalel, son of Uri (Hebrew: בְּצַלְאֵל בֶּן־אוּרִי), who was appointed by Moses to oversee the design and construction of the Tabernacle (Exodus 35:30). The art created by Bezalel's students and professors in the early 1900s is considered the springboard for Israeli visual arts in the 20th century. Bezalel is currently located at the Mount Scopus campus of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, with the exception of the Architecture department, which is housed in the historic Bezalel building in downtown Jerusalem. In 2009 it was announced that Bezalel will be relocated to a new campus in the Russian Compound, as part of a municipal plan to revive Jerusalem's downtown. The new Bezalel campus is planned by the Tokyo-based award-winning architectural firm SANAA.