Please check details of “Kibbutz Life” by Yochanan Simon
Yochanan Simon is a well-known Israeli artist and a representative of the kibbutz movement. The first period of his art was devoted to the artistic style of social realism, however, later influenced by the journey to South America, the painter moved to abstract and after towards even surrealist works towards the end of his life.
Born in Berlin, the artist studied in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux-arts. He moved to Israel in 1936, planning to work there with Haaretz newspaper, however, the project failed, so the artist came to Kibbutz Gan Shmuel. Gradually, the artist received from the kibbutz one day of rest per week for painting. Yochanan Simon painted propaganda posters for Hashomer Hatzair and the Socialist League party.
Kibbutz Life
The artwork depicts weekday in the Kibbutz. This word means literally gathering and refers to traditional communities in Israel based on agriculture. Simon showed the reality and beauty of the communal lifestyle, that was so inspiring for newcomers. Adding expressionist features to the explicit social context, the painter focuses vividness. The figures are precise, although blurred, they emit a sense of monumentality. The limited pallet of colors influences the mood, all tints correspond to each other and reappear in different parts of the artwork.
In addition, check our blog about another artist, who worked in the kibbutz, José Gurvich, one of the fundamental figures of the famous Torres García Workshop. Our gallery has “Man portrait” and “Couple” by Gurvich.
Kings Gallery is a leading fine art gallery established in Jerusalem in 1995. We strive to collect and sell the highest quality historic and contemporary Israeli and International art. The gallery specializes primarily in artists from the early period of the 1920’s. Besides, Kings Gallery features leading up-and-coming young artists who will definitely be prominent names in the next few years.
