GEORGIY RUSYI
Human Genesis
I focused on the theme of divine manifestation in this world, through the image of man and inherent duality of his nature.
My exploration of and reflections on the creation of the world are rooted in Kabbalistic philosophy and the mystical concept of Ein Sof. «Before the emanated and created beings were created, an Upper Simple Light (Ein Sof) filled the entire existence, and there was no empty space… When it arose in His simple Will to create the worlds… He contracted His Light to the sides, leaving a vacant space, a void… Then He drew a single line of light from the Upper Light into that void… and this Light extended downward.» (Etz Chaim)
The Book of Genesis provides two profound descriptions of man’s role: a role as creator («Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness») and a role as a gardener («The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it»). For me, this duality signifies that man is endowed with divine creative power and also with sacred responsibility to cultivate and preserve the «garden» — the world that man brings into existence.
Georgiy
Rusyi
I’ve always had a desire to learn more about Jewish culture and traditions, but never knew where to start. The laboratory provided me with an opportunity not only to study texts in my native language, but also to discuss, question, and doubt. I’ve come to better understand my Jewish identity, the connection between Jewish mindset and the roots of the people, and the knowledge that the Jewish people preserve and pass on.
A photographer from Belarus, Georgiy Rusyi began his career in film photography and gradually immersed himself in the world of analog photography, mastering the entire technical process from development to printing. He started out with commercial photoshoots for sub-culture brands. After repatriating to Israel, and after encountering different cultures and people on his travels, Rusyi discovered a new direction—documentary photography. A main theme of his work is religious and ethnic heritage, the evolution of past cultures to the present, and the conflicts inherent in that process.
