Land of Israel modernism movement Visual arts in Israel

avraham melnikov

the roaring lion, 1928-1934

tel hai

at beginning of 20th century of bezalel students began rebel against rigid artistic tradition followed in institution , turned more subjective art. period called “tower of david period”. 1 of prominent of these artists sculptor avraham melnikov. melnikov suggested different formal approach, culled within art of ancient east. approach offered replacement european art forms dominated bezalel during reign of schatz , lilien.

the monument roaring lion melnikov erected @ tel hai, designed in assyrian-mesopotamian style, reflected melnikov s aesthetic ideal. many generations , melnikov asserted, jews cut off figurative tradition in art; there many ways express artistic taste, taste in fashion european art based on greek , roman culture, , long athens inspiration art in europe, jew instinctively excluded .

other young artists offered alternative artistic approaches, turning modern art, of schatz , melnikov disapproved. showed in exhibitions organized. in 1920, example, hebrew artists association formed; organized annual exhibition, , during years 1923 1928 held exhibition of land of israel artists in tower of david in jerusalem s old city, organized joseph zaritsky, shmuel (ophel) levy, melnikov, , others. in these exhibitions art in bezalel art style exhibited next art influenced european post-impressionist , expressionist styles. other exhibitions of modern art held in hut attached ohel theater in tel aviv between 1926 , 1929.

another organization of israel artists called egged (the amalgamation) , included artists such arieh (leo) lubin, pinchas litvinovsky, sionah tagger, chana orloff, yossef zaritsky, haim gliksberg, reuven rubin, arieh allweil, , nachum gutman. of members, orloff , tagger, displayed influences french cubism in works. group held exhibition in 1929 in apartment on allenby street in tel aviv, opposite mograbi theater. exhibition of modern art held in 1930 in tel aviv museum , called beginnings of modernism in israeli painting, 1920-1930 .

to significant extent modern painters began create hebrew version of post-impressionist painting using palette of light colors, attraction expressive brushstrokes, , tendency toward naïve, flat painting. in addition traditional subjects such portraits, many artists depicted land of israel in landscapes added romantic perspective subjects. style of these works called land of israel school .

among artists identified style, artist nachum gutman stands out. gutman painted many depictions of city of tel aviv, of land of israel s arab citizens, many of whom met in jaffa. famous painting resting @ noon (1926) depicts fellahin (arab farmers) resting in field day s labor. examination of gutman s style in these years shows tendency toward simplification of forms, in tradition of expressive painting, , toward use of strong colors. critics feel naïve style of painting reveals gutman s romantic approach towards landscapes of land of israel , arab inhabitants.

this approach typical of other artists of period. sionah tagger, example, created description of railway crossing @ herzl street (1920) in expressive style emphasized modernity of new hebrew city. israel paldi (feldman) depicted scenes of half-empty country in palette of bright shades , colors. artist, abel pann, expressed romantic approach focusing on subjects bible depicted in illustrations fantastic in style.

reuven rubin depicted jewish existence in land of israel. example in sophie, bukharin jewess (1924) , dancers miron (1926) tendency towards flatness , decorative style stand out, showing influence of modern art , of art nouveau. in first fruits (1923) rubin presents figures typical of 1920s, interwoven powerful , fantastic element. in other works of period, in first fruits shows worldview combines zionism , orientalism in 1 basket; thus, depicts jews , arabs, pioneer couples , immigrants yemen , bedouin shepherds in native dress holding round fruit: pomegranate, oranges, watermelon, , bunch of bananas. , next them local animals: goats , camel.

in spite of distance center of artistic activity in land of israel, works of hermann struck, immigrated israel in 1922, when mature artist worldwide reputation, display of iconographic characteristics of visual art in young land of israel. palm trees , empty landscapes central themes of work. along paintings of city of jerusalem , residents special land of israel light, preoccupied young artists, translated in prints sharp contrast emphasizes dark images on light background.