Ornamental Blood Baths. A Lion for Jerusalem
Made in Al-Malicha, February 2002
Acrylic paint on concrete lion.

I painted this lion on request by the Jerusalem Municipality. Their plan was to put them in the center of town and to attract tourists with them. They put 70 concrete lions, half of them sitting, half of them standing, in a hall under the tribunes in the Teddy stadium in Jerusalem. All other painters I met there were sceptical about the succes of the municipal plan. The evening before right wing mayor Olmert planned to meet the artists in some kind of celebration, the center of Jerusalem was bommed again, on a spot very close to a former studio of mine, where they probably planned to put one of the lions. 

Most artist were Jerusalemites. Most used happy colors; I saw many "oriental" decorations. I finished first, because I had to return to Holland. I painted beautiful ornamental blood baths on my lion, all over his body. 

Three photos are from the hall under the Teddy stadium. This one is from Hillel Street, Jerusalem, where the lion spent the summer of 2002.