For seven weeks Gautama Buddha rested in the shadow of the sacred fig – the Bodhi tree – the tree of wisdom, meditated and attained enlightenment. The grandiose names of the Ficus Religiosa do not hint that it is quite prevalent, easily acclimatized, growing in all soil types, strong, resistant to diseases, heat waves and frost, a gigantic tree with picturesque roots, and therefore selected to adorn the streets of Tel Aviv. When Michal Goldman positions it at the center of the frame in a new series of works, she demonstrates in practice the phenomenon that the ordinary, quotidian, taken for granted in her neighborhood, ubiquitous, is the source for inspiration – as single leaf and as majestic tree.

This is the sequel in the topic to which Goldman keeps returning – minute scenes, supposedly marginal, from nature, are brought into the studio, and are drawn under a northern light detached from their growth origin. Goldman directs the leaf, the leaves and the branch of the Ficus like “Ora’s Bouquet”, “Lemon Grass” and “Geranium” – her previous series. Only this time a surprising, exciting twist is added. When Goldman paints a gigantic heart-like leaf, complete with veins and lobes, precise and translucent, covering up a previous painting that has lost favor in her eyes, she realizes the essence of the Buddhist idea that all phenomena are fleeting. Renouncing the punctiliousness, sensitivity, colorfulness and potency that were present in the original image, leaving them showing under a brown autumnal leaf collected from the street, creating a new image, potent and surprising. The metamorphosis of a painting.
The contrast is intensified by the positioning in the frame of single leaves forming a dancing group in the objective, balanced space of her studio.

As the process progresses Goldman leaves the intimacy of the studio for the streets, documenting the trees with a phone camera in their natural urban habitat: crossroad, corner, sidewalk, near electric power poles and banisters. In the studio she selects the images where the composition intensifies the contrast between the generously sized trees and the city hubbub, between urban planning and ever-changing nature – shooting forth twigs and taking over man’s plans.

At the climax of the process Goldman photographs the trees from the root’s viewpoint – a sort of trees’ self portrait. The picturesque composition created is expressive, precise and bold: the trees, planted deep in the ground are in constant motion, dancing ecstatically.
In these works, derived from great precedents, Gautama Buddha’s illuminated sayings and her own powers of observation and dexterity, Goldman distills substance, technique and philosophy with great sensitivity and courage.