Amit Hai Cohen
עמית חי כהן
عميت حي كوهن
Master Class
Contemporary Creation Along the Morocco–Jerusalem Axis:
Cinema, Music, and Documentation
A master class with artist Amit Hai Cohen, in which he presents the artistic world in which he works through his own projects and through works by other artists who inspire him. The session explores contemporary creation along the Morocco–Jerusalem axis, focusing on cinema, music, and documentation as intertwined artistic practices. Cohen discusses his creative methods, references, and research processes, offering participants insight into how personal biography, place, and tradition shape contemporary artistic language.
From the Diaspora to Instagram
A presentation of the artistic world Amit Hai Cohen developed in the exhibition Ziara, which received significant attention in the art world in Israel and internationally. The workshop examines works by contemporary Moroccan artists who participated in the exhibition, including Chaimaa Michtali, Mohamed Mourabiti, and Mohamed Elbaz. Cohen discusses the curatorial process, the challenges involved in producing the exhibition, the use of visual codes drawn from his own cultural background, and the critical dialogue that emerged within the contemporary Moroccan art scene.
A Visual Journey Following Zohra Elfasia
What do we know about Zohra Elfasia? The answer is: not nearly enough.
The Moroccan Jewish singer, considered a legend in Morocco during the 1930s and 1940s, immigrated to Israel in the 1960s into a cultural environment that left little space for Moroccan-rooted sound. She gradually faded into anonymity until her death in Ashkelon in 1995.
The poet Erez Bitton dedicated an entire poem to her, published in Maariv in 1975, tracing the sharp transition from the royal court of “Mohammed V in Rabat, Morocco” to “Ashkelon, Antiquities C, the Welfare Office.”
In this session, Amit Hai Cohen presents the story of the enigmatic diva. He screens excerpts from films made about Elfasia and inspired by her, visual references to her across different media, television interviews, and video footage filmed by filmmaker Haim Shiran, who documented Elfasia in her later years. Together, these materials offer a rare glimpse into Zohra Elfasia’s everyday presence, beyond the myth that formed around her.
