About the Traveling Exhibit

Generals
At the traveling exhibit, the life-stories of Peretz Beda Mayer and Fritz Haendel are illustrated with their remarkable art. Jewish wanderings and fates, spiritual perseverance and adhering to cultural values amidst genocide and pain – these are the focal points of the exhibit's ideology. On the plane of expression, the spectator is fascinated by the two heroes’ irresistible charm and sense of humor, especially brightly shown in their caricatures; Beda’s grotesque ‘circus of life and death’; genuine documents and artifacts from Mauritius detention camp etc. While Beda’s paintings have been shown in a few occasions in Israel, Fritz's exquisite drawings, cartoons, wood sculptures and woodcuts are shown for the first time.

Exhibit Contents
The first section of the exhibit is ‘historical’ one, consisting of short films and both artists’ travel illustrations about the ‘Atlantic’ journey and Mauritius . Over 320 original works of art and documents are displayed, including:
– Beda Mayer's prewar lithographs and illustrations for Synek Publishers.
– Drawings, cartoons and woodcuts by Mayer and Haendel, made during the Atlantic journey and later on Mauritius .
– Dolls and sculptures. Sketches and posters for camp theater performances.
– Tommy Mayer's works from Mauritius .
– Original documents: photographs, press articles, letters etc.
– Multimedia productions: 7 short films 12-min film ‘The Cloud Catcher’.
The second section comprises exuberant Mayer’s paintings and drawings from the Israeli period (1945-2002).