35matcult

instance 2 the materiality of gender

The second example testifies to ever-growing gender segregation in various religious spaces around the world. The image was taken at the highly-popular tomb of Rabbi Yonatan ben-Uziel, one of Hillel’s disciples, at Amuka in northern Israel. As ben-Uziel died single, this site has become one of the most popular religious sites dedicated for finding a spouse, and especially so for women. Ben Uziel’s tomb is situated in the heart of the Galilea in a green and lush area. Women usually climb the tomb’s roof and circle the building’s small dome seven times to find a spouse. Signposts situated in the site’s parking lot greet the visitors, laconically leading men and women to the main site via separate and parallel routes. After a few metres, a tall plastic fence separates the genders completely. The fence ignores the topography and scenery completely, situated according to the whims of local religious representatives. Indeed, as in many cases of spatial materiality, the cheaper the boundary, the more its influence of its surrounding and visitors. The simplicity and mundane materiality of the fence led to its erection without any advice from professionals (such as architects or engineers) and leads to controlling the visitors de facto under religious supervision. Moreover, the main clients of the site, known for their belief – are women who find themselves excluded from this site through a simple material solution. In the image we can see a simple wooden pole bearing two signs, indicating the way for men and women pilgrims. The simplicity of the signpost, almost bereft of design, imbues it with an almost territorial ability, imposing normative power on all. This simple method can be seen in the ultra- orthodox neighborhood of Mea She’arim in Jerusalem. Prior to various holidays (typically before Purim), various fences and separation bridges are erected to separate men and women, thus creating two public spheres – a masculine one and an adjacent feminine one. These simple, cheap borders are easy to erect and disassemble create a deep notion of spatial segregation. Through these simple boundaries, the local religious leadership maintain a highly efficient material system of controlled navigation through the streets. The graphic language of these borders is simple, clear and immediate, they function almost as an order. The linguistic and material scenery are married together to create a specific message – men and women must not mingle in our public sphere.

top: A cheap and simple sign reading ‘road for men only’ punctures the mountainous scenery to separate between men and women on their way to Ben-Uziel’s tomb. left: Similar material manifestation in Choni Hame’agel’s tomb below: the neighborhood of Mea She’arim in Jerusalem; temporary walls denoting women’s and men’s domains.

all images, Sharon Danzig

On Site review 35 : the material culture of architecture

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