Book Object, Where Lies a Secret, One-of-a-Kind Artwork

Unlike Nechama Levendel’s other pieces of art made from repurposed books, it is not immediately apparent what this piece of art was originally made from. A thin piece of cloth wrapped in string surrounds the flat interior. Holes cut into the encasement reveal a collage of shreds of paper cut from books, which hide the interior. Levendel’s work often makes good use of the mysterious aura surrounding unknowable books by tying them with string and encasing them in wax. This is a sharp departure from her usual treatments of books, as she hides the piece in cloth. Therein lies the secret.Nechama Levendel’s work features a unique combination of artforms. She repurposes books using an ancient technique of encaustic wax painting. While this technique is traditionally used on wooden boards, Levendel’s unique works incorporate old, discarded books and the drippings of candle wax. She has lived in Ein Hod Artists’ Village since 1984 and shared her work with Kolbo in an exclusive 2013 exhibit.We’l