Israeli Artist Born 1945 Bnei Brak, Israel
Zvi Malnovitzer is an expressionist contemporary Israeli artist. Born to Haredi family. He has created a unique style, that combines the secular with religious. His main themes are: Haredi Judaism, Holocuast and Exile, daily life scenes. The art of Malnovitzer is inspired by the portraits of Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) and the Romanticism of Francisco de Goya (1746–1828). In many of his paintings eyes of the heroes are particularly expressive telling the challenging stories to spectators.
Early Life
During religious studies, the young future artist used old bed sheets and scraps of wood to create his first works. Israeli painter Yehuda Wallersteiner, who was a neighbour of Malnovitzer’s family, agreed to teach the boy. Gradually, other people started to notice his talent. Furthermore, At the age of 12, Malnotivzer sketched a black ink drawing of figures going from a cave, with Nazi soldiers staying on a balcony above. At the edge of the drawing, he wrote: “exile”. The story of the 20th century became a specific dramatic artistic inspiration.
The artist decided to study in Europe. He attended seminars with the artist Ernst Fuchs, one of the founders of the Vienna School of “Fantastic Realism.” Malnvoitzer studied the classical art under Fuchs’s mastership.
Over the years,
The artist has been developing his unique style, that gave him a capability to show facial expressions telling deep emotions and dramatic life occasions. He depicts Hasidic figures, praying and learning Torah. He works on the connection of the spiritual and the material: the presence of the spiritual he opens through the material.
The theme of the Exodus is widely presented in Malnovitzer’s art. On the faces there is a condition of the loss of hope and of unanswered prayers.
Additionally to the religious paintings, artist captures the ordinary life. In usual situation he catches emotions, glances and rare compositions. There is an unique mystery around his works.
Artist is well-known all around the world. His works have been exhibited in Israel, Japan, Germany, Austria and the USA.
Despite the fact,
That Zvi Malnovitzer was grown up in the religious society where the “job” of an artist is less respected, his works have connected two separate worlds and organised their conversations.
You can find a large selection of his artwork in Kings Gallery.
Kings Gallery is a leading fine art gallery established in Jerusalem in 1995 that strives to collect and sell the highest quality historic and contemporary Israeli and International art.
