By Bonnie Boxer
HaMiffal’s special spirit is evident from the moment a visitor reaches the entrance arch. The large garden is full of nooks with unusual works of art, a changing display. Entering the door of the two-story, late 19th century building reveals a vibrant, colorful space. The past has not been remodeled, but included. Art is everywhere, on the walls, the ceiling, in the public restroom – even the floors tell a story of the building’s uses over time. The building’s history emanates from the partially exposed layers of paint on the walls, some of which retain older decoration and some of which have been painted by artists who use the building today. It is a visual cacophony which creates a fascinating aesthetic, always changing, self-renewing. Everywhere is worth looking at.
HaMiffal (the Factory) sees itself as “a production line for artists.” HaMiffal invites the public to take an active part in its operations – through artistic programs, regular gatherings and community-led initiatives that are in constant development. The building has a variety of places to sit, talk and work including two large rooms for curated shows, a shared studio, rooms for courses – photography, drawing and ceramics – and meetings as well as a café and a shop selling works by local artists who are involved in HaMiffal. Two hundred to 250 people visit every day. It also serves as a hub for local artists, offering a prestigious residency program, work spaces and even a workshop for graduates of the Bezalel Art Academy to learn how to market their art themselves.
The historic building was built at the end of the 19th century, the home of the Serafin-Lorenzo family, local Christian Arabs, two of whom were architects and designed the structure. They had to abandon it in 1948, and thereafter the building housed a succession of schools until 2006. It then stood empty for 10 years. In 2016, the Jerusalem Municipality invited an artists’ collective to take over the empty structure, led by Neta Meisels, a cultural entrepreneur and curator based in Jerusalem. HaMiffal has since grown and expanded its outreach, under Neta’s leadership becoming a central institution in the Jerusalem art scene. “Anarchic artists meet the establishment” in the words of Co-Director and Artistic Director Doron Gallia-Kind. HaMiffal is now administered by a registered NGO that runs it professionally while maintaining its open, experimental spirit.
Says Gallia-Kind, “This building reflects the state’s story and Jerusalem’s story. We do not erase history or deny it, but become part of it.” There is programming in Hebrew and Arabic, art classes in both languages, and Hebrew/Arabic language exchanges. HaMiffal recently created a workshop to help East Jerusalem artists develop art and culture in their own communities.
HaMiffal is dedicated to maintaining a liberal, free-spirited space in Jerusalem that encourages artists to stay in the city and grow its artistic community. This is the essence of its mission.