Merhav [Open Space]
1990
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
pen and black ink on wove paper
Dimensions
image: 29.9 x 29.9 cm (11 3/4 x 11 3/4 in.) sheet: 48.2 x 48.2 cm (19 x 19 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Susan Lorence in memory of Annalee Newman
Accession Number
2000.169.1
Art Historical Context
Jacob El Hanani's *Merhav [Open Space (1990) is a mesmerizing ink drawing that invites viewers into an infinite expanse crafted through extraordinary precision. Born in Morocco and based in Israel and New York, El Han is renowned for his micrographic technique, where thousands of minuscule Hebrew letters are meticulously rendered in pen and black ink on wove paper to form intricate geometric patterns. This square composition, measuring nearly 12 inches per side within a larger 19-inch sheet, evokes boundless space—its Hebrew title *Merhav* literally meaning "open space"—transforming dense text...