# BAAD

BAAD (Bezalel Academy of Art and Design) was an experimental art platform and gallery space that operated from 2011 to 2014 as the official gallery of the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in south Tel Aviv. Housed within the MFA program, BAAD sought to redefine traditional curatorial practices through its open-source Reservoir model—a continually evolving database of artworks contributed by hundreds of Israeli artists. This database served as a foundational, visionary approach, functioning as both a flexible curatorial pool and a platform for spontaneous creative programming. BAAD encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration and socially engaged art, actively engaging contemporary Middle Eastern culture and politics while questioning the role of art in challenging social structures.
Despite fully realizing its ambitious vision within its operational period, BAAD's limited timeframe ultimately prevented its innovative approach from taking deep root in the wider Israeli art scene. The gallery's projects—particularly the Reservoir model—represented a groundbreaking curatorial practice, allowing fluid, evolving contributions from artists. However, its brief duration meant that BAAD's influence remained largely within the immediate community it served. Nonetheless, BAAD's pioneering use of open, adaptive models for exhibition-making left a lasting impact on its participants and offered a unique template for experimental curatorial practices.

## History and Closure

BAAD was established in 2011 as the official gallery of the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, located in southern Tel Aviv. The gallery functioned as a critical extension of the Academy's MFA program, creating a platform where curatorial practices could be tested and redefined. BAAD emphasized collaboration, inviting artists to contribute to a shared project that would challenge conventional notions of curation and exhibition.
At the heart of BAAD's operations was the Reservoir, a collection of over 500 artworks on loan from Israeli artists, used in a series of rotating exhibitions. This open-source approach allowed for a fluid and evolving relationship between the artists, their works, and the audience.
In March 2014, after three years of curatorial experimentation and a series of influential exhibitions, BAAD was officially closed. The gallery's closure marked the end of a significant chapter in Israeli art, but its legacy continues through online documentation of its projects.

## Reservoir Project (2011–2014)

The Reservoir was the central initiative of BAAD and represented an open-source model of curation. Artists were invited to submit works of any medium, which were then stored in the gallery and exhibited in a range of contexts over BAAD's three-year run. The project's collaborative nature, which gave artists direct influence over how their works were presented, was a radical departure from conventional museum and gallery practices.

## Key Exhibitions
### Always Were in Darkness (2012)

This exhibition was a highlight of BAAD's program. Inspired by Russian Constructivism, it encouraged collaboration between artists, resulting in a collective critique of the isolation often experienced in contemporary art practice. The show referenced El Lissitzky's famous constructivist work About Two Squares, and culminated in a series of interactive events that drew parallels between artistic production and social systems.

### Cabaret (2012)

The BAAD Cabaret was a time-based exhibition modeled after the satirical cabarets of the Weimar Republic. The exhibition blended satire, dark humor, and aesthetic innovation by transforming the gallery into a stage where the audience became part of the performance. Works from the Reservoir were exhibited in sequence, creating a dynamic narrative that questioned the traditional relationship between art and viewer.

## Legacy and Influence

Though BAAD officially closed in 2014, its influence on Israeli art persists. By redefining the role of the curator and encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations, BAAD inspired other experimental initiatives across Israel. Its legacy endures online, where the documentation of its exhibitions and projects continues to serve as a resource for artists, curators, and scholars interested in socially engaged art and alternative curatorial practices.