Jerusalem in 2012 is associated with many themes – religious conundrums, geopolitical tribulations and even the wonders of hightech. Locked away, out of the sight of the reach of global or social media is a wonderful story waiting to be told – the success of local artists.

It is nearly 200 years ago that the lithographs of David Roberts were first available for the world to see and admire. He was able to describe by use delicate features the simple world of Jerusalem in the middle of the Nineteenth Century.

In many ways, “Reflections“, an exhibition of how four Israeli artists view their world, is an extension of Robert’s work. The contributions are all from females, and each delineates their own way of viewing the very complex society in today’s Israel. 

The characters of Ruth Keusch cleverly take on near Picasso proportions, often too sad for my taste. Estee Kreisman paintings could occupy a whole wall in many a person’s lounge. Combining photoshop and painting techniques, her pictures are divided up into rectangles, with each one in itself describing an action – amazingly brilliant. And Ruth Gresser has delicately taken scenes from private yet enchanted views in different cities and has brought them to life.

I admit to a previous bias, but my favourite is Shoshana Meerkin. Shoshi took up professional painting almost by chance over two decades ago. As she has explained, what excites her is to look at a door or a window of an old house, and then to bring out through colours and shadows what she interprets as the history of the place. The result is often a fascinating picture that keeps you searching through it for more information. You walk away with a smile on your face.

The opening evening of the exhibition was fun. It represented just another tiny yet important element of what the real Jerusalem of 2012 is all about.