Respected British-Israeli art activist/graffiti artist James Ame, working under the name Ame72, is the creative force behind “The Maze,” a street art project on view at the Elma Arts Complex & Luxury Hotel in Zichron Ya’akov, Israel. Through October, visitors can take daily tours of the large-scale work created in the artist’s signature Conceptual Pop Art style. Shining a spotlight on a number of social issues, ranging from greed and consumerism to social media, environmental awareness and cultural commercialization, the work is comprised of 14 separate installations within a 787-square-foot walled area — including elements such as comic strips, humorous texts and simple art materials.

Elma from the outside
© Photography Itai Sikolski

Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in Zichron Ya’akov at the southern edge of the Carmel Mountain Range, Elma Arts Complex & Luxury Hotel has 92 rooms and a tranquil spa spread throughout a beautifully restored Brutalist architectural-style building created in 1968 by architect Yaakov Rechter. Arts are definitely the focus, with four studios offering artists the option of extended residency to work on their next project or masterpiece. The space includes the acoustically stunning, 450-seat Elma Hall, an orchestra pit for staging productions, Elstein Galleries for paintings and sculptures, four amphitheaters, and interactive master classes led by professional dancers, musicians, actors and authors. Sensory experiences continue in the spa, where treatments incorporate Tibetan bowls and cymbals, tank drums, harps and other therapeutic musical tools.