Between East and West: The 1930s and 1940s Visual arts in Israel

zeev ben zvi, aharon meskin



helmar lerski, human hands, 1933-1940

the return of jewish artists europe in 1930s mandatory palestine gave rise variety of influences modern art on art in land of israel. @ same time should noted these influences did not motivate artists toward avant garde , abstract art in painting , sculpture. 2 of strongest influences french art , german art. gideon efrat claimed these influences created 2 different trends in plastic arts. while parisian influence expressed in dynamic softness melts heavy structures , german art , new objectivity (neue sachlichkeit) brought static , sculptured monumentality. typical influence of european avant garde evident in international architectural styles in land of israel, brought architects graduates of bauhaus . considerable influence of french realism can found in works of group of artists influenced trend towards realism of french sculptors of beginning of 20th century, such auguste rodin, aristide maillol, , others. symbolic message in content , form appears in works of artists of land of israel group, such moses sternschuss, rafael chamizer, moshe ziffer, joseph constant (constantinovsky), , dov feigin, of whom studied @ point in france.

one sculptor influenced cubism zeev ben zvi who, in 1928, after completing studies @ bezalel, went study in france. upon return served short period teacher of sculptor @ bezalel, , @ new bezalel . in 1932 ben zvi had first exhibit @ national antiquities museum, bezalel , , year later had exhibit @ tel aviv museum. instead of making use of cubism means of subverting artistic object, ben zvi s sculptures use cubism means of intensifying feeling of monumentality of image. in work of artists such chana orloff , shalom sebba well, cubist language in shaped works did not lead them abandon realism , boundaries of traditional representation. in well-known work, fleece (1947), example, sebba used cubist language intensify monumentality of images, while using angles of observation inspired photography.

even more striking avant garde trends began appear in work of jewish photographers, of whom influenced german avant garde , expressionists of 1920s , 1930s. photography in land of israel developed under encouragement , guidance of zionist establishment, under auspices of groups such jewish national fund, commissioned photographs spread zionist message. artists such zoltan kluger, yaakov (jack) rosner, , others, documented zionist enterprise , jewish settlement, using photographic angles, compositions, , views took inspiration soviet communism in russia. other photographers sought use these techniques artistic or commercial photography.

helmar lerski created photographic portraits in typical expressionist style, expressed in use of light , in angle of photograph. in 1936 larski created 175 photographs of man, attempted encompass personality in entirety, using technique called metamorphosis means of light ; technique made use of mirrors, , taught in workshops on roof of home in tel aviv. artist, alfons himmelreich, created advertising photographs emphasized industrial commercialism using distortion of usual standards, close ups, , light emphasis, designer of commercialism. among photographers worked in more artistic tradition richard levy (ereel), created photomontages of semi-abstract figures; tim (nahum) gidal, , sisters charlotte , gerda meyer, specialized in architectural photography.

the intensification of israeli-palestinian dispute influenced works of arab photographers developed political consciousness, such ali zaarur, chalil rissas, , others. acted on own or agents of various information agencies, , created photographs in journalistic style. 1990s did researchers begin investigate these works part of historiography, , visual representation of past, political, ideological, , nationalistic goals in mind.

canaanite movement


itzhak danziger

nimrod, 1939

the israel museum, jerusalem collection



amos kenan

messiah, 1966

tefen open museum

in 1943 poet yonatan ratosh (1908–1981) published epistle hebrew youth , proclamation, manifesto, first written communication of caananites , literary , artistic movement had been active time. in essay ratosh called on hebrew speaking youth become buffer against judaism. declared between youth had settled in land of israel , jews of diaspora there no true connection. became characteristic cry of caananites, members proposed return mythological past, in order create hebrew–speaking nation independent identity.

the visual expression of aspiration use of archaic forms , styles, under influence of fertile crescent art. tendency reflected, significant degree, interest in primitive art , sculpture prevalent in europe @ beginning of 20th century. pro-archaic style expression of symbolism.

one of significant artists of canaanite movement sculptor itzhak danziger. returned land of israel in 1938 after studying in britain, , demonstrated new national outlook in work which, in contrast acceptable in europe, full of sensuality , eastern exoticism. art fit feelings , sense of identity of of population of jewish settlement in land of israel. dream of danziger s contemporaries, writes amos keinan after danziger s death, unite land of israel , earth of composed, create specific image recognizable signs, here , us, , embed in history mark of special . in addition nationalism, sculptures demonstrated expressionist-symbolist style similar in spirit british sculpture of same period.

danziger opened sculpture studio in yard of father s hospital in tel aviv, , there critiqued , taught young sculptors such benjamin tammuz, kosso eloul, yechiel shemi, mordechai gumpel, etc. in addition students, studio became popular meeting place artists other fields well. in studio danziger created first significant works, sculptures nimrod (1939) , shabazia (1939). when nimrod unveiled became focus of important dispute in land of israel cultural circles; sculpture depicts figure of nimrod, biblical hunter according jewish religious literature, lean youth, naked , uncircumcised, sword clutched in hand , falcon on shoulder. sculpture harked earlier cultures of assyrians, egyptians, , greeks, while @ same time showed similarities european sculpture of time. sculpture expressed combination of homoerotic beauty , pagan idolatry. combination @ center of criticism in religious circles in jewish settlement. criticism against nimrod , canaanites heard not in religious circles, objected pagan , idolatrous aspects of work, in secular circles among objected rejection of jewishness . significant extent nimrod intensified dispute had existed prior appearance. @ same time other voices called new model new jewish man . newspaper boker [morning] wrote in 1942 nimrod not sculpture. flesh of our flesh, spirit of our spirit. milestone , monument. apotheosis of vision , daring , youthful rebellion distinguishes entire generation…nimrod young forever .

in spite of fact danziger later had reservations nimrod model israeli culture, many artists adopted canaanite style , point of view in sculpture. figures resembling idols , images in primitive style appeared in israeli art until 1970s. furthermore influence of canaanite movement evident in art of new horizons group.