November 16, 2020
Place of Assembly presents Mazkeka and Straus
EPISODE III.
Basement venues are everywhere. On this episode of place of Assembly we talk with two of them in Jerusalem, Mazkeka and Straus. Both Jerusalem strongholds for underground, community, experimentalism, and gathering, but taking up different ends of the cultural scene there. We’ll learn more, wax deep, spill tea, and chop it up, with Ofer Tisser of Mazkeka, and Eyal Bitton + Tomer Damsky of Straus.
PLACE OF ASSEMBLY : PODCAST -
Every episode of PLACE OF ASSEMBLY will feature a new artist space. We will look at any space that exists in the physical world, and in some way house creative communities and cultural production.
During this time of enforced isolation, while all of our places of gathering and work have been closed off to us, we are in a unique position to consider what these places mean to us.
Mazkeka and Straus were founded at exactly the same time (2013) in Jerusalem, and by some of the same people. Straus is a collective founded by a group of artists from spheres of extreme music, tattoo art, prints and graphics, video and light. Eyal Bitton and Tomer Dmasky are two of 10 members at the moment.
Mazkeka is a non-profit center for the contemporary and interdisciplinary art in Jerusalem. Since 2014 it provides a stage for innovative artists working in fields which include music, new media, film and performing arts. Mazkeka serves as a lab and creation space for new works with versatile performance opportunities, including a recording studio and a workshop space as part of a local center for artistic collaborations and original productions. The organization identifies, supports and presents emerging and under-recognized artists who are making significant contributions to their respective fields, as well as established artists who wish to stretch their creative boundaries in a safe environment. Ofer Tisser is Creative Director of Mazkeka.
Relevant links:
https://www.facebook.com/Studiostraus/
https://www.mazkeka.com/
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5577990,00.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-downtown-jerusalem-a-place-to-party-without-politics/