The Pillbox Opens its Doors

Curator, initiative and production (part of Open House Jerusalem 2016), artwork by Shabtai Pinchevsky.

For more than 80 years the Pillbox stands at the busy junction between the garden and the valley. For almost 70 years it’s been standing locket - quietly watching and absorbing its surrounding views. This historical structure, which is one of five pillboxes that were built in Jerusalem during the British Mandate period, and one of three pillboxes that are still intact. The pillboxes were originally used as checkpoints that monitored the movement of passersby. The gallery inside the tall and narrow concrete structure (5 meters height) was used as a lookout tower and a position from which weapons could be fired. To mark the 80th anniversary of the pillbox being erected and after decades which it was closed, the pillbox opened its doors to the public. It was converted from a military structure into an installation. The photographer, Shabtai Pinchevsky was invited to create a site-specific work in this unique structure, whereas the gallery was transformed into a camera obscura.

The opening of the Pillbox was followed by public events, including a lecture by Dr. Gad Kroizer on ‘Pillboxes and Defense Structures’ and an 80th anniversary celebrated with ‘his neighbors’.



[archive, exhibition, event].