The project “Safari: A Journey into the Robotic Wildlife Reserve” by artist Amit Drori offers a rare opportunity to join a theatrical journey through an artificial reserve populated by dozens of animals—machines—robots, developed over many years for performances presented on prominent stages in Israel and around the world.
Thousands have already experienced Safari, but this year it appears in a special edition adapted to the unique theatre stage of HaZira Theatre in Talpiyot, Jerusalem. In this robotic wildlife reserve, one can observe every detail of the animal sculptures. The visitors are invited to take a close look and discover how these animals were constructed with anatomical precision and an almost vanished form of craftsmanship that breathes life into them, giving them movement and human-like expressions. The mechanical-animalistic nature of the sculptures transforms the stage into a playground of imagination, where even the light and sound enveloping the Safari are based on robots and programmed patterns.
The Safari grew out of a creative process that began around 15 years ago, when Drori started developing robotic animal puppets in collaboration with designer Noam Dover for a performance titled “Savanna”. The process continued with the development of the performance “Monkeys”, in collaboration with artist and lighting designer Ofer Laufer.
The animals were handcrafted over hundreds and thousands of hours. This meticulous work forges a deeply intimate connection between the maker and the object, imbuing the sculptures with profound meaning.
The operating mechanisms are visible, allowing the audience an almost anatomical glimpse into the bodies of the animal-machines:
The muscles are motors; the brain is a system of controllers; tendons, veins, and nerves are represented through a full wiring system. This allows the viewer’s gaze to shift and flicker between machine and creature, the artificial and the natural, carried away by the magic of the mysterious, intimate world revealed by Drori and his collaborators.
The journey lasts approximately one hour.
Following the Safari journey, a creative workshop developed by the artist will be held, where children can design mechanical animals from their imagination. Each animal will be photographed, and then the materials will be recycled. The photographed animals will join hundreds of others in the Safari’s digital gallery on Instagram. Participation in the workshop is a meaningful, creative experience that enables the children a strong sense of accomplishment. Workshop tickets are sold on-site (separate ticket). One accompanying parent enters for free.
Workshop duration: approx. 45 minutes.
To purchase tickets, click here: https://www.eventer.co.il/user/hazira?tag=safari
Safari will show at HaZira Theatre, HaParsa Center for Performing Arts (formerly – Rav Hen Cinema), 3 HaParsa St. Talpiyyot, Jerusalem.
This project is presented as part of the “SidratTarbut” series, funded by the Mandel Foundation and managed by the Jerusalem Foundation.
