Michail Grobman at Herzelia Museum.March -May 1998

PICTURE=SYMBOL=CONCEPT

Michail Grobman an Artist, a poet, a Russian avant-garde art collector and a friend. Came to Israel in 1971 and settled in Gerusalem. In the 50's became one of the founders of artistic and literary movement known as "The second Russian avant-garde".

His style is symbolic, mystical and conceptual, the artist calls his style: "Magical symbolism".

In Israel in 1971 he was an outsider, he didn't belong to the style and the Israeli conformist artists.He formed the Avant-Garde group "Leviathan" and an art newspaper by the same name. In his group were Russian and Israeli artists.

The group's moto:

Three foundations define our artistic stand:

1. Primitive

2. Symbol

3. Letter

Our enemies:

1. Historicism, Psychologism, Pathos

2. Literary plot, Visual ilusionism

3. Disdain for material

Most of Grobman's work is on paper on purpose. It is direct works, like sketches, in a crisis you can pack it and move.

In the exhibition two main groups:

1. Contemporary Avant-Garde works from the 70's and the 80's:

1."let my people go", 1971, watercolor on paper, 50,2cm x 70,2cm,

2. "Black sky", 1981, gouache on paper, 111cm x 71cm.

2. Works from the 90's characterized by a critique of Israeli society:

3."Converted Jew - Wiggly snake", gouache on paper, 121cm x 80cm.