Gouache over mixed media, Completed July 1, 2015. 46 x 61 cm.

I keep on thinking that I have taken this Cypress series, as far as it will go. But then in surprises me. Day or night? Fields or sky? Israel or… Provence?

Creating a single painting composed of several small panels, is an ancient tradition. Sometimes the multiple panels answered supply constraints, and sometimes they eased transport. (Both true with me.) If desired, the panels can be opened and closed as a book or screen. (I never tried that, but maybe I shall?)

The artistic challenge is to create a single cohesive composition, in which each panel also works a an independent painting.

I enjoy that challenge.

Shaar Hagai, Right Panel 2015. Gouache, 46 x 61 cm
שער הגיא, לוח ראשון 2015, גואש  46 * 61

I first visited Israel when I was 15. Back then in my pre-history, much of the highway to Jerusalem was a winding, 2 lane affair. The road progressed gently upwards. Then, without warning, it hits a wall of steep mountains. From there, it crawls along the bottom of a deep, winding ravine: Bab El Wad in Arabic, Shaar Hagai in Hebrew – the “Gate of the Ravine”.

A perfect place for an ambush.

Shaar HaGai, Second Panel 2015, Gouache, 46 x 61 cm
שער הגיא, לוח ימין 2015, גואש 46 * 61

I was eager for that climb. In 1971, the roadside was still littered with burnt out, trucks with home made armor, attacked while carrying food during the Siege of Jerusalem in 1948. Cypress and pine trees had since been planted on the hill terraces dating form the Second Temple era, 2000 years ago.

Every few meters the road twisted, and offered a new vista. Mostly of the narrow valley. Occasionally glimpses towards the parallel ridges and valleys, all climbing up to the City of Gold. And then more twisted, rusting, bullet ridden reminders of the battles to bring food to Jerusalem.
Many years later, I was to learn that my in-laws first met during that siege, on line for drinking water. She was 6. He was 9, and a refugee whose home was destroyed by the Jordanian Army attacked his housing project. His first grade teacher had been on the roof with a machine gun, covering the dozens of families, as they fled under fire.

Hockney painted a series depicting the experience of driving through the hills above Los Angeles. The idea of capturing an ever changing landscape in a still image, appeals to me. The idea of capturing time in two dimensions, is a a pleasing oxymoron. And I want to recapture my wonderment of age 15, when all was so new and romantic for me.

Opening Thursday, June 18 on the Art Shelter, Jerusalem at 20:00
Yehuda HaMaccabi St 7, in Makor Baruch. In the shelter, under the park.

Israel is unfortunately blessed with a large number of public bomb shelters. Rather than letting them go wasted, municipalities rent them out for pennies, for a large variety of cultural activities.
The Art Shelter is one of these unconventional settings.

Founded about 30 years ago, by a pair of well recognized artists, the Shelter’s mission was to bring the language of art to the conservative and art deprived Ultra Orthodox community, while respecting their religious sensitivities. In recent years, the Shelter has achieved an additional status: It has become a meeting place for many mid career and advanced Jerusalem artists, where they can intimately display their works, sketches and work processes, with other members of the local art community.

I find its shows and artist talks to be remarkably refreshing. Without the pomposity, affection and solipsism so prevalent in the art world.

Chapeau! to the wonderful curators Pnina Frank and Noa Cohn.

My work will be shown with larger oils by Yisrael Feldman,  I will primarily be showing smaller works in gouache, mainly selections from my “I Saw a Cypress” series.

Both of us seem to have a deep attraction to geology and geography. Both selections share a strong spiritual element. I shall share more after the opening!

Short Art Workshop for Adults

JUMPING INTO COLOR

at Chanan Mazal’s Studio, Jerusalem
April 28 2015 – June 2 2015
Tuesdays 17:00 – 20:00

Exploring the emotional and illusional qualities of colors, and the wonderful, playful “social relationships” that they have between themselves.
My goal is to help each budding artist, to discover his or her own personal taste and voice, after experimentation, challenging ingrained habits, and taking the plunge into paint!
The unique approach of the class is geared both for those with experience, and for beginners wishing to explore creativity and aesthetics.

For details and enrolling:

Chanan Mazal
054-6374751
mazalart@zahav.net.il
mazalart.com

סדנת אמנות קצרצר למבוגרים

קפיצה לצבעים

בסטודיו של חנן מזל, ירושלים
לימוד חווייתי למבוגרים
6 פגישות, בימי ג’ 21:00-17:00
2.6.2015 – 28.4.2015

גילוי העולם הרגשי והמתעתע של צבעים – וה”קשרים החברתיים” המורכבים והמשעשעיים ביניהם.
מטרתי היא לאפשר לכל אומן, לגלות את טעמו האישי ואת קולו. הכל תוך תוך התנסויות מגוונות, ומתן גירוי להרגלי יצירה נוחים וישנים –  ובקפיצה למים העמוקים!
הגישה היחודית של הסדנא, מתאימה הן לבעלי ניסיון, והן לאמנים מתחילים, הרוצים לגלות יצירה ואסתטיקה.

לפרטים והרשמה:

חנן מזל
054-6374751
mazalart@zahav.net.il
mazalart.com