Life

We are beset by instructions from every direction: some are imposed on us as guidelines or regulations, while we choose to incorporate others into our lives in the form of assembly kits, recipes for success, and other preparatory instructions. The works in the exhibition address, the culture of "Do It Yourself" and the role of instructions and regulations in daily life. In most of the works, instructions are subverted, emphasizing the absurdity and internal contradictions often found in reality. Works made by prominent contemporary artists from Israel and abroad are exhibited alongside objects from the Israel Museum's various collections. Visitors, adults and children alike, will find instructions throughout the exhibition, which they may either follow or ignore. PES, Western Spaghetti, USA, 2009, 1:44 mins. Yonny Zafrani , Answering Machine, Israel, 2008, 3:04 mins. H5 studio, Röyksopp - Remind Me, France, 2002, 4:04 mins. Alexandre DUBOSC, Food about you, France, 2010, 1:37 mins. Benjamin Arthur and Robert Krulwich, Why Can’t We Walk Straight?, USA, 2010, 3:34 mins. John Kelly, The Seed, UK 2010, 2:09 mins. Duration: 16:12 minutes The exhibition name was inspired by George Perec's La Vie mode d'emploi, 1978; in English Life A User's Manual, trans. David Bellos (London: Vintage Books, 2003), Hebrew translation by Ido Bassok (Tel Aviv: Babel Publishers, 2005).