Chani Cohen Zada

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Chani Cohen ZadaThe Sign for Eternity, 2019

Chani Cohen Zada, The Sign for Eternity

oil on linen mounted on wood
40 × 60 cm
16 × 24 in

About the Artwork

The Sign for Eternity draws its title from the Torah's description of Shabbat as an eternal covenant between Hashem and the Jewish people: "It is a sign forever between Me and the Children of Israel" (Exodus 31:17). Upon a richly draped cloth rest a pair of Shabbat candlesticks, a kiddush cup, and a wedding crown. Though simple in appearance, these familiar ritual objects speak of holiness, covenant, and the enduring rhythm of Jewish family life. Through this carefully observed still life, Chani Cohen Zada reflects upon the timeless values that are lovingly transmitted from one generation to the next.

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The phrase "a sign forever" refers to Shabbat itself, the eternal covenant that continually renews the relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people. Every week, the lighting of the Shabbat candles, the recitation of Kiddush, and the gathering around the family table become living expressions of that enduring bond.

The objects assembled here quietly embody these sacred traditions. The candlesticks welcome the holiness of Shabbat into the home, while the kiddush cup recalls the sanctification of the day through blessing over wine. Beside them rests a wedding crown, introducing the covenant of marriage and the sanctity of the Jewish home itself. Together, these ritual objects speak of continuity, family, and faithful observance.

Rather than presenting these items ceremonially, Cohen Zada allows them to rest naturally upon the folded textile, suggesting that holiness is woven into the ordinary rhythms of daily life. Their quiet arrangement reflects traditions that have been repeated in Jewish homes across countless generations, linking past, present, and future through simple acts of devotion.

As throughout the artist's work, careful observation remains central. The painting does not rely upon dramatic symbolism; instead, meaning emerges through the honest depiction of familiar objects whose significance has been shaped by generations of use. Their material presence becomes inseparable from the spiritual life they represent.

The Sign for Eternity ultimately celebrates the enduring covenant that is renewed within every Jewish home. Through Shabbat, marriage, and the faithful observance of mitzvot, eternity is experienced not as an abstract idea, but through the quiet rituals that sanctify everyday life.

About the Artist — Chani Cohen Zada

One of the main obstacles that a novice painter encounters when he comes to paint from observation is a conceptual conflict. This is because everything is actually made up of two things: meaning, and substance. The mind, refers to the word through its meaning for us, and not through its materiality. And therefore the painter gives an iconic interpretation of what he sees, which is not compatible with reality. It takes a lot of hours of training to teach the brain to separate these two things and pass on to the painter the relevant information for the painting, which is the material interpretation only

₪ 21,000

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