The Augustinian Nuns Sanatorium 2001

Avigdor Arikha created "The Augustinian Nuns Sanatorium," a pastel drawing reflecting themes of institutional life and personal perspective. Arikha, as a Jewish-Romanian artist who survived the Holocaust as a child, often explored themes of memory and identity in his work. This particular piece invites reflection on the enclosed world of the sanatorium, typically a space of healing but also of isolation, especially for the Augustinian Nuns who dedicate their lives to religious service within this setting. The somewhat detached viewpoint, looking down from an elevated position, can evoke a sense of the artist's own remove, hinting at the complex relationship between observer and subject. It is important to consider that those secluded in convents or sanatoriums often experience a unique intersection of gender, religion, and social roles. This artwork, rendered in soft pastels, allows us to consider the nuanced lives within these spaces and their connection to the external world.