Body Sculpture: “Calligraphy on the Raw” by Ronit Bigal

The work of Ronit Bigal, an Israeli artist, could be defined as body art but that would be a gross understatement. Calligraphic Old Testament in Hebrew on human skin appears mysterious and mesmerizing, carrying both sensual and spiritual appeal.

Her new series — Body Sculpture — is a result of hard work. As its title presupposes, these works impart a certain «sculptural» impression, for Bigal seeks not only to unveil the beauty of the language and letters, but also the subtle charm of the curves of the human body. It’s up to the viewer to decide whether the choice of a body part for a particular biblical story is premeditated or not.

In Ronit Bigal’s works the human body acts not as a mere «sculptural» background, but as a full-blown abstract landscape, for the tiny letters inscribed on the skin totally confuse the spectator, depriving her of the usual concepts of form and function of a human palm, for example. There is infinite room for underlying meanings and implications, e.g. it is noteworthy that Bigal reproduces the sacred Hebrew texts in the language of the sons of Israel, using the traditional Indian ink calligraphy techniques.

Body Sculpture: “Calligraphy on the Raw” by Ronit Bigal