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Amnon David Ar
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Flesh and LightAmnon David ArOpening on August 25th 2011, at 20:00
Curator: Dr. Bob van den Boogert Curator of the Rembrandt House Museum, Amsterdam
Catalog design: kapara.comTranslation to hebrew: Claude AviramCopy editing: Hila Yaniv
Printed in Israel
Mika - Israeli Art
Opening hours:Sunday-Thursday: 10:00-19:00Friday: 10:00-14:00
97 Ben-Yehuda St. Tel AvivTel: 03.9525830www.mikagallery.co.il
Flesh and LightDr. Bob van den Boogert
Curator of the Rembrandt House Museum, Amsterdam
Painters from Israel are playing an important role in the international Renaissance of figurative painting which is going on at the moment. A factor which might help to explain this phenomenon is the substantial immigration into Israel of traditionally trained artists from the former Soviet Union, who imported their skills in realistic painting and were a source of inspiration and knowledge for younger artists. It may be relevant in this respect that one of Israelโs leading figurative painters,
Amnon David Ar, has also received part of his training from artists who emigrated from countries in Eastern Europe: Oswald Adler for anatomy and Abraham Bykov for painting and drawing.
Nevertheless, Ar in the main considers himself self-taught in painting and drawing. He has spent a year at Bezalel academy, but not being satisfied with the quality of the training he received there, he decided to go his own way and explore the possibilities
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of traditional drawing and painting techniques all by himself. Like all great artists from the past, Ar is restlessly searching for new solutions to represent visible reality in an evocative and convincing way. Most people take visible reality for granted, so to speak, without realizing the complexity of the psychological process of observing and interpreting the forms and structures we incessantly perceive around us. Much like a scientist, Ar is constantly analyzing visible reality and performing experiments in order to evoke its beauty. He will never take visible reality for granted and will always pursue his quest for new insights to get closer to the essence of painting and, in the end, to the magic of reality itself.
In a 2007 self-portrait (cat.no.1) we see the artist at work, standing at an easel in his studio in Tel Aviv, holding a brush and surrounded by the tools of his trade. The prominent position of the easel โ which reminds us of Rembrandtโs small Artist in His Studio in Boston, or perhaps even more of Velazquezโ Las Meninas in Madrid โ immediately tells us that this is not a simple, straightforward self-portrait. In fact, like in Rembrandtโs painting of 1628, the easel, rendered in great detail as to its construction and material texture, seems to be the main subject of the painting. It could be interpreted as an allegory of painting, in which the unusual studio-props in the background may also
have a symbolical meaning, the exercise-bicycle, for instance, symbolizing the necessary training for the artist to reach his goal, and the crucifix on the wall serving as a reference to the suffering along the way to get there.
In the way Ar renders and shapes objects by the subtle use of light and colour we recognize the true painter, addicted, so to speak, to visual reality and permanently analyzing the rich variety of forms he observes. His exceptional skill in rendering form and texture manifests itself particularly in his marvelous nudes. Depiction of the human flesh has always been one of the great challenges for a painter. In the 17th century, painters and their assistants knew exactly which pigments had to be mixed on the palette to achieve convincing flesh tones on their canvases. Depending on the age and gender of the portrayed person, or the depicted part of the body, different mixtures were used. Although things are a lot easier now thanks to the availability of a wide range of colours from tubes, the rendering of the human body still is an artistic speciality which โ especially nowadays โ only a few painters really master. Ar is definitely one of them: his nudes are modeled so delicately, and the texture of their skin is rendered in such a convincing way, that they really come to life on the canvas.
In recent years, Arโs painting style has developed from the
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smooth and polished peinture of his early work to the more bold and expressive brushwork of his last paintings. Remarkably enough, this differentiated application of the paint, in which brushstrokes are left visible, does not affect the sense of plasticity and tangibility of the depicted objects at all. On the contrary, the virtuoso lighting effects and ingenious colour combinations Ar uses in rendering surface texture, especially in the vibrating flesh tones, only add to the real-life quality of his paintings and lend his nudes a stunning presence. The same goes for other painting genres in which Ar excels, such as still-life and landscape. Recently he finished a magnificent Landscape (cat.no.47 Haโmashbir Corner of Levinsky), a panoramic view of Tel Aviv from a rooftop, in which the differentiation in applying the paint (compare, for instance, the precisely painted portrait of the Volkswagen in the foreground with the more loose brushwork in the atmospheric distance) and the amazing, almost abstract pattern of colours and tones, make this masterpiece a veritable showcase of the endless possibilities of oil painting.
Looking closely once again at the self-portrait of the artist in his studio, we can only marvel at Arโs pictorial intelligence as to suggesting light and atmosphere in his paintings. Our impression that the easel is a solid, three-dimensional object standing in a real, convincing space results from Arโs meticulously studying
the fall of light on objects and his subtle use of related tones in order to define forms that are receding or protruding in space. We may see this self-portrait as a tribute to the art of painting, which, thanks to painters like Ar, will always remain the most powerful means to capture the ever-changing richness of visual reality.
Dr. Bob van den Boogert
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ืืืืจ ืืฉืืืืฉ ืืื ืื ืฉืงืฉืืจ ืขืจ ืืฆืืืจืืช ืฉื ืืืชืคืขื ืืืืื ืืืืื ืฆืื
ืืืืืืงื ืฉื ืืจืืฉื ืืช ืืฆืื ื ืืืฆืจ ืืฆืืืจ ืื ืืฆืืืจืื. ืืืืจื ืืืฆืืจืช
ืืืฆืง ืชืืช ืืืืื, ืืขืืื ืืืื ืืฆืืืืชื ืืืฉืื ืข ืืืช, ืืชืืฆืื ืืืืืืื
ืืืงืืงื ื ืืช ืืืคื ื ืคืืืช ืืืืจ ืืืฉืืืืฉ ืืขืืื ืฉืื ืืฉืื ืืืื ืื ืืืฆืืช
ืืืคืื ืืืจืืืงืื ืื ืงืจืืืื ืืืื. ื ืืชื ืืจืืืช ืืช ืืืืงื ื ืืขืฆืื ืฉื ืขืจ
ืืืืฆืขื ืชืืื ืชืืฉืืจ ืืืืชื ืืฆืืืจืื ืฉืืืืืช ืืฆืืืจ, ืืืื ืืช ืืืืืื
ืืขืืฆืืชื ืืืืชืจ ืืืืืืช ืืขืืฉืจ ืืืฉืชื ื ืชืืืืืช ืฉื ืืืฆืืืืช ืืืืืืืืืช.
ืืจโ ืืื ืืื ืืจ ืืืืจื, ืืืฆืจ ืืืืืืื ืืืช ืจืืืจื ืื, ืืืกืืจืื.
54
ืขืืืืชื, ืืืื ื ืจืื ืืืื )1 )ืืก ืงืืืืื 2007 ืขืฆืื ืืฉื ืช ืืืืืงื
ืืฉืืื ืขืืื ืืื ืื ืืฆืืืจ ืืกืืืืื ืฉืื ืืชื ืืืื, ืืืืืง ืืืื ืืืืื
ืืืืงืฃ ืืืืื. ืืจืืืืืช ืืฆืืช ืืื ืืืืืจื ืืช ืฆืืืจื ืฉื ืจืืืจื ืื, ืืืื
ืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืกืืืืื ืฉืื, ืื ืืฆื ืืืืืืืื ืืืืื ืืช ืฉื ืืืกืืื, ืืื
ืืืืืืืื ืื ืืฆื ืื ืื ืก, ืืืก ืืืืงื, ืฉื ืืฆืืืจื ืืืชืจ ืืฃ ืืืงื ืชืืืืจืช
ืืคืจืื ืืืืจืื. ืืื ื ืืชื ืืืืื ืื ืื ืืืืืจ ืืืืืงื ืขืฆืื ืืคืฉืืื, ืืืืื
ืืฆืืืจื ืฉื ืจืืืจื ืื ืืฉื ืช 1628, ืื ืืฆืืืจ ืืฆืืืจ ืืคืจืื ืคืจืืื ืืืชืืืืกืื
ืืืืืจ ืืื ื ืืื ืขืฉืื ืืืืงืกืืืจื ืฉืื, ืขื ืืื ืื ืฉื ืจืื ืฉืื ืื ื ืืฉื
ืืฆืืืจ ืืขืืงืจื. ื ืืชื ืืคืจืฉ ืืืช ืืืฉื ืขื ืฆืืืจ, ืื ืื ืืืืืืจืื ืื ืืฆืืื
ืืจืงืข ืืืื ืืกืืืืื ืืฉืืขืืช ืกืืืืช. ืืืืืื, ืืืคื ื ืืืืฉืจ ืืืกืืืื
ืืช ืืืืจื ืฉื ืืืื ืืืืืื ืื ืืจืฉ ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืช ืืชืืฆืื ืืืืืืืช, ืื
ืืฆืื ืฉืขื ืืงืืจ, ืืืกืื ืืช ืกืืื ืฉื ืืืื ืืืจื ืฉืขืืื ืืขืฉืืช ืืื ืืืืืข
ืืืืจืืชืื.
ืืช ืืืขืฆื ืืขืืืจ ืขืจ ืื ืืืฆืืข, ืืืืจ ืืฉืืืืฉ ืฉื ืืืขืืื ืช ืืืจื
ืืืืืื ืืืืืื, ืืืชืืืจ, ืืืืืชื, ืืฆืืืจ ืืช ืืืืื ืื ื ืืืืืืืงืืื,
ืืื ืืฆืืจืืช ืืขืฉืืจ, ืืืืื ืคืืกืง ืฉื ืืืชื ืืื ืืชืื ืืืืืืืืช ืฉื ืืฆืืืืช
ืฉืืื ืืจืงืืื, ืืืขืืจืจ ืืจืฉืื ืืืคื ืืืฆืืช ืืืืื ืืช ืืขืจ ืืชืืื ื. ืืื
ืืื ืืืืื ืืืื ืขืืจ ืชืืืืจ ื ืคืืืื. ืขืืจืื ืืฆืืืจื ืืืืืื ืืืืื ืืืื
ืืืชืืื ืืช ืืื ืืืชืืจืื ืืืืืืื ืขืืืจ ืืฆืืืจ. ืืืื ื-17 ืืืขื ืืืื ืื
ืขืืจ ืืื ื ืืืฉืื ืืื ืืขืจืื ืขืืืื ืคืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืืืืง ืืขืืืจืืื
ืืืชื ืืืื. ืชืขืจืืืืช ืฉืื ืืช ืฉืืืฉื ืืื ืืืื ืืืืืื ืฉื ืืืื ืื ืืื ื ืฉื
ืืืื ืืืฆืืืจ, ืื ืืช ืืืืืืื ืืื ืืืจื ืืืืฃ ืืฉืื ืื.
ืืจืืฉ ืืืืื ืื ืฆืืขืื ืืืืื ืฉื ืืืื ืืืืฆืข ืืืืืช ืฉืืืื, ืืืจืืช
ืืืืืช ืืื ืืื ืืฉื ืืืืฃ ืืฆืืช ืขืืืื ืืืชืจ, ืงื ื ืขืฉื ืืืืจ ืืฉืคืืคืจืืช,
ืืืืืืืช ืืืื. ืืืืืื ืืืื, ืืขืืื ืื ืืืื ืื ืืขืื ืฉืืืื ืืืืืื ืืช
ืื. ืขืจ ืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืื, ืืขืืจืื ืฉืื ืืืฆื ืืขืืื ืืช ืื ืจืื, ืืืจืงื
ืขืืจื ืฉื ืืืืืืื ืฉืื ืืืืฉ ืืฆืืคื ืืฆืืจื ืื ืืฉืื ืขืช, ืฉืื ืืืฉ ืงืืื
ืืชืืืื ืขื ืืื.
ืืืง ืืฆืืืจ ืขืจ ืฉื ืขืืืืชื ืกืื ืื ืืชืคืชื ืืืืจืื ืืช ืืฉื ืื ืืืืื
ืืืืจืื ืืช. ืืขืืืืืชืื ืืืงืกืคืจืกืืืืืช ื ืืขืืืช ืืืืื ืืืฉืืืืช ืืืืืืฉ,
ืืืชื ื ืืชืจืช ืืืืืืช, ืืืืืื ืืฉืืืืช ืื ืืฆืืข, ืืฉืื ื ืืฉืืืืฉ ืืืจืืช
ืื, ืขื ืืชืจ ืืืชืืืจืื. ืืืืืืืงืืื ืฉื ืืืืืฉืืืช ืคืืกืืืืช ืชืืืฉืช
ืืฉืชืืฉ ืื ืืืืจืืง ืืฆืืขืื ืืฉืืืื ืืืืจ, ืฉื ืืืืจืืืืืืื ืืืคืงืืื
ืขืจ ืืืฆืืช ืืจืงืื ืฉื ืืืฉืืืื, ืืืืืื ืืืืื ืื ืืจืืืืื ืฉื ืืขืืจ, ืจืง
ืืืกืืคืื ืืืืืื ืืืืืฉื ืฉื ืืืืชื ืฉื ืืืืืืืงื ืืืฆืืืจ, ืืืจ ืืืืคื ืืช
ืืืจืื ืืโืื ืจืื ื ืืื ืืืืจ ืืืืืื. ื ืืืืืช ืืืขืื ืฉืื ืืขืืจืื ืฆืืืจื
ืืื ืืฆืืืื ืขืจ, ืืืื ืฆืืืจ ืืืข ืืืื ืื ืืคืื.
ืคืื ืช ืืืฉืืืจ 49 ืงืืืืื )ืืกืคืจ ืืจืืื ื ืืฃ ืฆืืืจ ืกืืื ืืืืจืื ื
ืืืืืื ื ืืืจืื ืฉืื ืืืช, ืฉื ืืื ืืืื ืชื ืขื ืคื ืืจืืื ืืื ืืืื ืกืงื(,
ืืืืคื ืื ืืช ืืฆืืข )ืืืืืื: ืืฉืืื ืืช ืจืืช ืืืืืง ืืืืืงื ืฉื ืโืืืคืืฉืืชโ
ืืืชืจ ืืืงืืืืืช ืืืืคืฉืืืช ืืืืืื ืืืฉืืืืช ืืชืืื ื ืืงืืืช ืื ืืฆืืช
ืฉื ืืืคืฉื ืืืืขื ืืืืคืื ืืืืื ื ืืชืืื ื( ืฉื ืืืชืจ ืืืจืืืง ืืขืืืง
ืื ืืืืื ืชืฆืืื ืืืืชื ืืืคืฉืจืืืืช ืืฆืืจืช ืืืคืช ืืืื ืื, ืืืคื ืืื ื ืฆืืขืื
ืืืื ืกืืคืืืช ืฉื ืืืืื ืืฆืืืจ ืืฉืื.
ืืืืื ื ื ืืกืคืช ืืงืจืื ืฉื ืฆืืืจ ืืืืืงื ืืขืฆืื ืืกืืืืื, ื ืืชืจ ืื ื ืจืง
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ืืืฃ ืืืืจืโืจ ืืื ืืื ึถืื ืึผืืืจื
ืืืฆืจ ืืืืืืื ืืืช ืจืืืจื ืื, ืืืกืืจืื
ื ืืืืืช ืงืืืืช ืืคืืืืจืืืื ืืฆืืืจ ืืืื ืืช ืฉื ืืืืืืช ืืืื ืืชืืืื
ืืื ืื ืืชืืคืขื ืื ืืืกืืจ ืืชืื, ืขืืฉืืืืื. ืืฉืจืืืืื ืฆืืืจืื ืฉื ื ืืืจืช
ืขืื ืืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืฉืขืืจ, ืืืืขืฆืืช ืืืจืืช ืฆืืืจืื ืฉื ืืืืืื ืืขืืืื
ืืฉืืื ืืืืืื ืืช ืืกืื ืื ืฆืืืจ ืื, ืืืื ืืืงืืจ ืืืฉืจื ืืืืข ืืืืจ ืฆืขืืจ ืฉื
ืืื ืื.
ืืฆืืืจ ืืชืืื ืืืฉืจืื ืืืืืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืื ืขืจ, ืืื ืืื ืื
ืืืจืืคื: ืืืืจื ืืืฉืจืื ืฉืืืืจื ืืืื ืื ืืืชืจ ืืื ืืื ืืคืืืืจืืืื,
ืืืฉืจื ืงืืื ืืื ื ืืืงืื, ืืืืจืื ืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืื ื ืืืืจ ืืืกืืืื
ืืจืืฉืื ืืฆืืืจ. ืืืืืืื ืืืงืืืื ืืืืกืืช ืืืื ืืช ืื ืกืืคืงื ืืช ืกืงืจื ืืชื
ืืืื ืืงืืช ืืช ืขืฆืืื ืืืืคื ืืืคืชื ืืืงืืจ ืืืฉืื ืืืื ืืืงืฆืืขืืช,
ืืืกืืจืชืืืช, ืขื ืื ืืื ืจืืื ืขืฆืื ืืขืืงืจ ืืืืืืืืืืงื.
ืืื ืื ืืืื ื ืืขืืจ ืืืืืืื, ืืืคืฉ ืขืจ ืืื ืื ืืื ืคืชืจืื ืืช ืืืฉืื
ืืืืจืช ืืืฆืืืืช ืืืืืื, ืืืืคื ืืืืจ ืืืฉืื ืข. ืืจืืืช ืืื ืฉืื ืจืืืื ืืช
ืืืฆืืืืช ืื ืจืืืช ืืขืื ืืืืจ ืืืื ืืืืื, ืืืื ืืืืื ืืช ืืืจืืืืช ืืืืื
ืืคืกืืืืืืื ืฉื ืืืชืืื ื ืืช. ืขืจ, ืืืืื ืจืื ืืื ืืืขื, ืื ืชื ืืืื ืืืืืจ
ืงืืข ืืจื ืงืืืืื ืฉืื ื ืืืชืื ืืืช, ืืฆืืจืืช ืืช ืืคืจืฉ ืืขืื, ืื ืจืื ืืช
ืืกืืืืชื ื ืืขืืจื ื ืืกืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืช ืืืคืืื ืฉื ืืืฆืืืืช. ืืื ืืขืืื
ืื ืืงืื ืืช ืืืฆืืืืช ืื ืจืืืช ืืขืื ืืคืฉืืื ืืชืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืืคืืฉื ืืืืฉื
ืืืจ ืชืืื ืืช ืืืฉืืช, ืืื ืืืชืงืจื ืืืืืชื ืืืืืงืงืช ืฉื ืืฆืืืจ, ืืืกืืคื ืฉื
ืืืจ ืื ืืืขืช ืืงืกื ืฉื ืืืฆืืืืช ืขืฆืื.
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ืืืฃ ืืืืจืืื ืื ืืื ืขืจ
ืืคืชืืื ื-25 ืืืืืืกื 2011, ืืฉืขื 20:00
ืืืฆืจ: ืโืจ ืืื ืืื ืึถื ืืึผืืจื, ืืืฆืจ ืืืืืืื ืืืช ืจืืืจื ืื, ืืืกืืจืื
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