Yoram Raanan
About the Artist:
One of the things that amazes me most in creating art is the movement of my hands in the paint, they seem to become like magic wands conjuring up scenes. It is an exhilarating and joyful experience to see how pouring and splashing colors onto canvas leads to an exciting range of images and multiple interpretations of my work. Curiosity and exploration are some of the components of the creating process. While I keep an open mind, I sometimes close my eyes to express my deepest feelings, accessing my inner self and getting in touch with the source of creation. It is exciting, sometimes liberating, often painful and always surprising.
I am engaged in an elemental endeavor in this world, physically taking the raw material of pigment mixed with oil or water, and turning it into something transformational, both for myself and the viewer. I enjoy the lusciousness of the paint, the movement, the textures, the play between light and darkness. Sometimes I use thick, creamy oil paint, smearing it with my fingers and palette knife, piling layers over layers and scraping away, finding different arrangements of new worlds and suggestions of time.
My work expresses something inexplicable – feeling, sensation, emotion and spirituality. The various levels and layers of paint correspond to different possible interpretations of the work. This presents an opportunity for new ways of seeing and understanding the familiar – refreshing form of communication that enhances the experience of ordinary life.
I want to share the sense of discovery that I feel, the dynamic passion, energy flow and color vibration, to connect the viewer with a greater sense of self and place in the world.
- Yoram Raanan
Biography:
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2014 Picasso Art Gallery, Castra Art Center, Haifa, Israel
2014 Museum of Jewish Art, Hechal Shlomo, Jerusalem, Israel
2013 Municipal Art Shelter, Jerusalem, israel
2008 Marrache Fine Art Jerusalem, Israel
2006 Gallery 18 Jerusalem, Israel
2003 Etzion Judaica Centre Etzion, Israel
2002 Studio 36 Jerusalem,Israel
2001 Hazelton Gallery Hazelton, Pennsylvania
2000 ARTcnet Fine Art Gallery Philadelphia, PA
1998 International Judaica Fair Jerusalem, Israel
1989 The Art Gallery Jerusalem, Israel
1989 Artists' House Jerusalem, Israel
1988 The Jewish Quarter, Inc. Los Angeles, California
1988 Serafim Gallery Engelwood, New Jersey
1986 Anitra Lehman Gallery Jerusalem, Israel
1984 Artists' House Jerusalem, Israel
1984 Serafim Gallery Jerusalem, Israel
1981 Jerusalem Cultural Center (Bet HaAm) Jerusalem, Israel
1980 Jerusalem Theatre Gallery Jerusalem, Israel
1979 Bet HaNoar HaIvri (YMHA) Jerusalem, Israel
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2017 Jerusalem House of Quality, Jeruslaem, Israel
2016 Office of the Jerusalem biennale, Jeruslaem, Israel
2013 The Tahana, Tel Aviv, Israel
2010 Palm Beach Center for Jewish Art Florida USA
2008 Marrache Fine Art Jerusalem, Israel
2008 Katz Snyder Gallery San Francisco, California
2007 Art and Soul Toronto, Canada
2006 Gallery 18 Jerusalem, Israel
2002 Artcnet Fine Art Gallery Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2001 Studio 36 Bet Meir, Israel
1998 Gerard Behar Center Jerusalem, Israel
1993 Art Expo New York, New York
1990 Art Gallery of Ontario Toronto, Canada
1986 Ruth Siegal Gallery New York,New York
1987 Goldmunz Center Antwerp, Belgium
1987 Sotheby's London, England
1987 Sterling Fine Art Manchester, England
1987 Intenational Judaica Fair Jerusalem, Israel
1986 Yakar Gallery London, England
1985 Christies New York City, NY
1984 Wolfson Museum Jerusalem, Israel
1984 Serafim Gallery Jerusalem, Israel
1984 Debel Gallery Jerusalem, Israel
1983 Artists House Jerusalem, Israel
1982 National Convention Center Jerusalem, Israel
1982 Israel Center Jerusalem, Israel
1971 New Jersery State Museum Trenton, New Jersey
1971 Seton Hall University South Orange, N J
COLLECTIONS
Berger Museum, Vienna, Austria
Wolfson Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
Bank Tefahot Collection, Jerusalem, Israel
Israel Defense Forces, Bet El, Israel
Ruth Siegel Collection, New York City, NY USA
Ludwig Jesselson Collection, New York City, NY USA
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Reichman Collection, Toronto, Canada
Kirk Douglas Collection, Beverly Hills, CA
Dr. and Mrs. Dore Gold Collection, Jerusalem, Israel