The Doubling of the House

23 Feb 2008
29 Mar 2008

Why do we believe our ‘national hero’ Benedict de Spinoza can be read outside the Christian Latin regions? Do we know what the impact is of the translation of Spinoza's Tractatus theologico-politicus in Hebrew, Maamar Teology Medini and in Arab?

Ferdinand van Dieten invites Joseph Semah as the guest for a project in which The Doubling of the House is central. In the house of the gallery two identical houses are built, one in the entrée, one on the first floor. This installation represents among others the ‘Jerusalem of above’ and the ‘Jerusalem of below’. This expression is introduced in the writings about Hechaloth and Merkavah(Sifrut, Ha-Hechalot, Ve-Hamerkavah) as an indication for the trust in God's wisdom even after the first destruction of the temple of Salomon. In the house of below Joseph Semah will read aloud the entire translation in Hebrew of the Theological-political Treatise of Spinoza.

Joseph Semah invites the second guest Mohamed Sabet. This guest chosen by Semah is a reflection on the first, the Jew, as the eternal guest of Christianity.