Rami Tsalka

Lives and works in Valencia, Spain

Artist statement

“I believe that the entrance-halls of buildings still retain the echo of footsteps of those who used to cross them and who have since vanished. Something continues to vibrate after they have gone, fading waves, but which can still be picked up if one listens carefully.” -Patrick Modiano, Missing Person My work typically portrays an urban landscape devoid of any distinct human presence, oscillating between the familiar and the nondescript. The photographic image functions as a sign to be ascertained, suggesting a narrative quality of theatrical scenery or cinematic staging alongside the indexical capture of moments past. Through the act of photography, I seek to create a sort of web of signposts and references. The shots open into the landscape, but also include occluding elements such as skylines or traces of human action. Taken at cities such as Milan, Paris, Tel-Aviv, Valencia, Ayia Napa and Mexico City, my works depict urbanity. Though the imagery emits a sense of familiarity, it resists being placed in a specific time or location. Double exposure and the use of expired film produce photographic effects which I employ as means of portraying human occurrences, as well as social, cultural or environmental change. This strategy is particularly evident in my depictions of the Neve Sha’anan neighborhood, Tel Aviv, Israel. In her text about my 2013 exhibition “Invitation to the Dance”, Tali Tamir describes my work as “photography whose critical position is never enunciated or...

Artwork