Sigalit Landau, 41, one of Israel’s most prominent artists, is representing Israel at the Venice Biennale, which opened June 4 and is running for six months. Her Biennale exhibition deals, among other subjects, with the Dead Sea, Sigalit’s work venue for the last seven years.

A good partner is hard to find, but Sigalit Landau, one of Israel’s most important and well-known artists, is displaying at the Venice Biennale a work she created with her full-time partner – the Dead Sea.

Advocating for the lowest place on earth
“For years the Dead Sea has been my partner”, says Sigalit.” Now I have a chance to be its Jordan River. It seems natural and right for me to give something back to the sea. I am now at one of the most significant times in my life, and so is the Dead Sea. If we win — the Dead Sea in the [New7Wonders of Nature] competition, and I, by getting recognition at the Biennale – we win together.
“There is symbolism here and a universal message that goes beyond time, beyond the lone “me.” The Dead Sea gives life to the world. Salt both preserves and dissolves. It is important for me to take part in the preservation and promotion of the Dead Sea, for myself and for future generations”.
Sigalit urges everyone to vote for the Dead Sea, and has said so on her new website.

The Dead Sea, competing against 27 nature sites across the world in the New7Wonders of Nature competition, is considered a front-runner. The New7Wonders Foundation sponsoring the competition is expecting about 1 billion votes from all over the world by the time the voting campaign ends on 11.11.11. This means that to be named one of the New 7 Wonders, a site will need between 300 million to 400 million votes.

“One man’s floor is another man’s feelings”
Sigalit Landau is one of the few artists invited to exhibit at the Venice Biennale for the second time. Her exhibit at the Biennale is titled “One man’s floor is another man’s feelings,” her takeoff on the saying “One man’s floor is another man’s ceiling.” The work deals with the interdependence of people everywhere. As always, Landau uses the materials of life – water (a theme easy to connect to in Venice), earth and salt.

Sigalit Landau was born in 1969 in Jerusalem, where she was raised. Today she lives and works in Tel Aviv. Landau is a graduate of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, and has won numerous awards, among them the 1996 Anselm Kiefer award for young artists from the Wolf Foundation, the 2001 Acquisition Prize from the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the 2004 Nathan Gottesdiener Foundation Israeli Art Award from the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and the 2006 Ministry of Science, Culture and Sport award.
In 2008, Sigalit was honored with a solo exhibition at the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and is currently participating in an important “women in art” exhibition at the Pompidou Center in Paris.

Every spring and autumn the residents of the Dead Sea area wake up to the sound of the wing beats of half a billion birds flying over the Dead Sea, in the heart of the Syrian-African Rift. The birds, which sometimes rest in private back yards, too, stop at the lowest spot on Earth after a tiring trip over the desert, on their way from Africa to Europe and back.

The area of the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert is an extreme desert region blessed with oases, impressive cliffs, twisting canyons, plateaus and wildernesses. The area features a variety of bird habitats and excellent vantage points for viewing the migration.

These conditions make the area one of Israel’s most important bird-watching spots, serving as a central location for research and tourism, with an emphasis placed on bird migration and desert bird observation.

Bird-Watching on the Shores of the Dead Sea
In the Dead Sea area, the permanent bird population is regularly banded and monitored. This population includes a variety of desert birds such as eagles, falcons, vultures and more.

Over the next few years, a new interdisciplinary research center is planned for the region, for studying various aspects of the Dead Sea area. Among other things, the center will include a bird-watching center that will be established at the Ein Gedi Field School, north of the Nahal David Nature Reserve. The school overlooks the reserve and the Dead Sea, and constitutes an ideal place for observation and study of bird migration along the Great Rift.

The bird-watching center is expected to be part of a national network of bird-watching centers consisting of 15 stations, and to focus on research, education, and conservation of the birds and their habitats. The center will also promote relations with similar centers in Jericho in the Palestinian Authority and in Wadi Mujib in Jordan.

Pink Surprise
The Dead Sea is always full of surprises, and the migrating birds sometimes provide rare sights. During the great migration period of May 2009, in the Einot Tsukim reserve on the northern shore of the Dead Sea, a beautiful flamingo was observed, probably a Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), an infrequent visitor to Israel, on its cross-continental journey.

Shiran Ben Yaacov, a Nature and Parks Authority worker at the Einot Tsukim Reserve, managed to capture the flamingo at rest with his camera.

A Shared Life on the Shores of the Dead Sea

In addition to migratory birds, the Dead Sea area has many permanent residents, including the Arabian Babbler (Turdoides squamiceps). The babbler is unique in that it lives in groups all year round.

The social behavior of the babbler population has been studied since the early 1970s, and this research led to the discovery of the “handicap principle”, which explains the development of various social phenomena in animals and in humans. During the day, the babblers guard the group from a high vantage point, with the dominant male and female spending the longest amount of time on guard (the handicap principle). The entire group raises the chicks, which means that in many cases, the identity of the biological parents cannot be known for sure.

This behavior is echoed in the collective human lifestyle that has dominated the Dead Sea area for thousands of years. The Judean Desert cult, known as the Essenes, who lived at Qumran, also lived collectively, and most local council communities today are kibbutzim or other collaborative communities.

One might say that this collective behavior is a result of the difficult physical conditions imposed by the desert on those seeking to reside in it.

The lowest place on earth is a popular tourist site, offering visitors who come here from all over world a variety of attractions suitable for men, women, families, young couples and children.

Tourism and Vacations

On the shores of the Dead Sea await attractions that allow visitors to lean back, relax and enjoy the quiet and the intoxicating view, which can be found at only one place in the world, the lowest place on earth.

Historical Attractions

The Dead Sea region features historical sites of global importance, attracting thousands of lovers of history and archeology every year.

1. Masada – a historical site that symbolizes determination, courage and heroism. For further information – see Wikipedia.
2. Qumran – the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest documentation of the Bible, were discovered. The Scrolls remained intact for 2,000 years, thanks to the dry air characteristic of the Dead Sea area. For more information – Click
3. The Baptism Site – the baptism site near where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea is identified with the place where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist, and is considered one of the most sacred places in the Christian world. Near the baptism site is the Monastery of John the Baptist, known as “Kasser al Yahud” (the Palace of the Jews). Each year, baptism ceremonies, epiphanies, take place at the site, attracting thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world. The ceremonies take place on two main dates: at Easter and the feast of the Epiphany.

Health Tourism

The Dead Sea region is considered one of the world’s most important and unique spa sites for the treatment of skin and lung diseases. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come here every year from around the world, in order to benefit from the health qualities of the long sunrays, the minerals, and the unique mud and air.

In addition to its being the lowest place on earth, 423 meters (1388 feet) below sea level, there are many other interesting facts and figures about the Dead Sea region, which has been important to mankind from ancient times until the modern day.

Facts and Figures about the Dead Sea

1. The Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world after Lake Assal in Djibouti, Africa.
2. The salt concentration in the Dead Sea is 33.7%, compared with the salt concentration in the Mediterranean Sea, which is between 3.5% and 3.9%.
3. The high salt content is what makes possible the unique floating experience enjoyed by bathers in the Dead Sea.

Geographic Figures and Facts

1. The Dead Sea is located at the deepest point in the Great Rift Valley, which extends from Syria to Mozambique.
2. The Great Rift Valley is the world’s longest geographic phenomenon – 6,400 km (4000 miles), crossing through 20 countries.
3. The Dead Sea is considered the connecting point between the desert and settled land in the Middle East.

Bird Facts and Figures

1. Each spring and autumn some half a billion migratory birds fly over the Great Rift Valley.
2. Many birds live in the Dead Sea region all year round, including the Arabian Babbler (Turdoides squamiceps), the social behavior of which led to the discovery of the handicap principle.

Production Facts and Figures

1. Potassium, manufactured from the Dead Sea, is the chief fertilizer enabling agricultural growth in many countries around the world, including third world countries.
2. Agriculture in the Dead Sea region makes up some 50% of the local economy.
3. The date palm is one of the oldest crops in the Dead Sea region. The region contains some 250 hectares (618 acres) of date palms.
4. Another Dead Sea region crop is basil, which also finds its way to Italian markets.
5. Some 80% of the agricultural output of the Dead Sea region is intended for export and meets European and international standards.

Going on vacation is an exciting event that raises expectations of an enjoyable holiday, featuring relaxation, interesting events and surprises. The shores of the Dead Sea offer many unique attractions, promising a varied and remarkable experience, with something for every age and taste.

• Unique beaches
• Five-star hotels and resort villages
• Challenging outdoor activities
• Spas and beauty centers
• Tours and hikes
• Historic sites

A variety of cultural activities

Here is a summary of the main attractions that you can enjoy during a visit to one of the saltiest lakes in the world. But it’s important to remember – this is just a taste. To enjoy the full banquet, we invite you to descend hundreds of meters and visit us at the lowest place in the world.

A Wide Selection of Accommodation

Along the Dead Sea’s shores, there are a large number of hotels with a variety of ratings, including 5-star hotels that offer their guests a choice of luxuries: private beaches, spas based on the minerals and black mud that are unique to the area, as well as thermo-mineral pools. In contrast, along the shores you can also find holiday villages offering rooms and camping grounds, and many more suggestions for a reasonably-priced holiday.

Unique Beaches

The Dead Sea beaches are famous throughout the world: their high salt levels allow visitors to float on their backs and enjoy the majestic view surrounding the sea. The sulfur pools and the special children’s pools are unique attractions, and the natural mud and UVB-filtered sunlight offer hours of healthful recreation.

The beaches offer many facilities where visitors can enjoy the region’s unique qualities: the vista of cliffs and canyons along the shoreline, easy access to the sea, natural mud for bathers, restaurants and cafes, showers, chairs and sunshades. The Mineral Beach, Ein Gedi Hot Springs, and the Zohar Hot Springs also offer natural thermo-mineral waters pumped from underground reservoirs.

Desert Oasis

Fresh water has been trickling into the Dead Sea for thousands of years, from nearby oasis. When you come to the Dead Sea from the north, the first oasis you encounter is Einot Tzukim (Cliff Springs), the lowest Nature Reserve in the world. The park is also known as Ein Fashkha, which means cracked or broken. Fresh water flows through the Reserve in streams and into pools; visitors can also view the remnants of a Second Temple period manor house, and the animals and plants that are unique to the region.

Traveling further south will bring you to one of the famous Nature Reserves in Israel: from Kibbutz Ein Gedi there is easy access to the Ein Gedi National Park, which includes two spring fed fresh water streams that flow all year round − Nahal (Wadi) David and Nahal (Wadi) Arugot, two oasis with a rich historical heritage. The National Park offers a choice of easy hiking and trails for experienced hikers, through the breathtaking landscape.

The Dead Sea – The Cradle of Christianity

The Baptism Site in the southern part of the Jordan River (north of the Dead Sea) is identified as the site where Christ was baptized by John the Baptist; it is considered the third most holy site in the Christian world.

Near the Baptism Site is the Monastery of John the Baptist, known as Kasser al Yahud (the Palace of the Jews).

Each year, baptism and epiphany ceremonies take place at the site, attracting thousands of pilgrims from around the world. The ceremonies take place on two main dates: Easter and the Feast of the Epiphany.

Not far away is Qumran, to which the members of the Essenes, also known as the Sect of Light and the Dead Sea Sect, fled from Jerusalem. The members of the semi-monastic sect withdrew from priestly life in Jerusalem during the Second Temple period, lived here communally and bequeathed us the oldest original copy of biblical writings.

Heritage Tourism

Near the Dead Sea you can visit historical sites of global importance, which attract thousands of history- and archeology-lovers every year, such as: Masada, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and the Qumran caves, in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Near the road that winds along the shore, and on the nearby cliffs, have been found remnants from the Chalcolithic period, remains of Herodian structures, and caves that were occupied by Christian hermits from the Byzantine period to the 19th Century.

Bird Watching by the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea region and the Judean Desert are considered major bird-watching sites. This is an extreme desert environment with many oasis, impressive cliffs, twisting canyons, and highland and wilderness areas. The region offers a wide variety of habitats for permanent and migratory birds and really good observation posts for watching avian migrations. These conditions make the Dead Sea region and the Judean Desert a unique focus for research, education and tourism, with emphasis on bird migration and observation of desert birds.

International Bike Ride – “Tour de Dead Sea”

A bicycle rally held each year with riders from around the world. This ride is held with the aim of raising public awareness of the area’s unique qualities and emphasizes values like cooperation, environmental preservation, education, and sports.

Dragot Cliffs

The Dragot Cliffs resort village, some 440 meters above sea level, is built at the edge of the massive cliffs overlooking the enchanted landscape of the Dead Sea, the Moab Mountains, and the Nahal Darga Cliffs. The resort village stands at the entrance to the only road that crosses the Judean Desert highlands to the west of the Dead Sea region, and provides easy access to a variety of historical sites. In addition to the intoxicating scenery, visitors to the resort village are invited to choose between a variety of lodging arrangements, and dine in the restaurant with its breathtaking view over the Dead Sea.

The Beauty and the Sea

The Dead Sea is known from enchant times for its benefits to the beauty and health of the human body.

Even the ancient Egyptian had admired its Minerals and Queen Cleopatra is said to enjoy its pearls. Only in the past years the inhabitants of the Dead Sea region are trying to reveal and encapsulate the secret of the effect that the minerals have on the human skin. Out of love for the enchanted region in which the unique products are made, a visitors’ center was opened for the general public. Here, one can observe the plant’s operations in real time, learn about the Sea’s products and secrets, and watch a fascinating film describing the delicate balance between the unique environment and the combination of regional qualities.

The Ein Gedi Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden at Kibbutz Ein Gedi displays a huge variety of plant life from all five continents, thanks to the unique climate conditions of the Dead Sea region. The summer heat and the moderate winter, combined with airborne minerals, allow particularly rapid growth rates by any botanical standard.

The Dead Sea is the only place in the world that combines it all; year-round hot weather, an enriched oxygen atmosphere, therapeutic UVB solar radiation, a mineral-rich salt sea, world famous mineral-rich mud, thermomineral hot springs and luxurious spas.

Research has shown that the combined climatic factors have a long lasting positive therapeutic effect on dermatological diseases such as psoriasis ,eczema and rheumatic or degenerative joint diseases.

So next time you are weighing between a fun vacation or a health retreat, choose the Dead Sea – and enjoy the best of both worlds!

The Dead Sea Lives!

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