Still Life Comes Alive

A new exhibit opens at Haifa's Northern Gallery

Leo Open

The Jewish Agency's Northern Galley in Haifa celebrates the opening of a new exhibit, "Still Life." Leo Open, Director of the Northern Region's Information Center welcomed guests and artists to the opening. He was followed by MK Roman Bronfman, Immigration and Absorption Committee Co-Chair Arieh Azoulay and Jewish Agency's Director of the Northern Region, Yitzchak Blonder.

Meron Kaparov, oil & acrylic on canvas

The spirited crowd of guests, artists and dignitaries at the recent Northern Gallery opening belied the exhibition theme of "Still Life." A colorful array of styles and media were displayed in the works of 30 new immigrant artists from the FSU. From oil to watercolors, from neo-classic to post-modern, conspicuous in all the paintings was copious creativity, and superb technical skills, often the results of extensive training at some of the FSU's most prestigious art institutes.

Yelena Lichtsinger oil on canvas.

Located in the Northern Region Information Center complex in downtown Haifa, the gallery is easily accessible to a large cross-section of the public. An effervescent Yelena Lichtsinger rushed into the gallery hall from her choir practice in the nearby Rambam Hospital just in time to hear the welcoming speeches. Thrilled at seeing the large crowd and at the opportunity to display her colorful acrylic paintings, Yelena, an immigrant from the Ukraine, acknowledges the crucial function of a venue like the Northern Gallery. Working as a choral conductor, Yelena's unlimited creative energies have, for many years, also been channeled into painting. "The gallery gives us an opportunity for exposure in the art world without having to start from scratch on a trek from gallery to gallery, competing with artists who have connections both from study at local art institutes and from established social networks."

"A first home in the homeland for artists," was the apt coinage given to the gallery's function by Immigration and Absorption Committee Co-Chair Arieh Azoulay in his welcome to the guests. Glancing around at the pictures, Arieh confirmed that these artists had found not only a corporeal home, but a spiritual and artistic home as well. Curator Larissa Kartish notes that many of the artists have already amassed impressive oeuvres of uniquely Israel-related pieces, including landscapes and Judaica.

In the art market, where self-promotion is the name of the game, immigrant artists can find themselves in a professionally unenviable position. The Northern Gallery places contenders a few steps ahead on the winding path to success.

Painting (above), Vladimir Brook, oil on canvas.

(I) Isaballa Zilberman, Manager of the Northern Gallery immigrated to Israel from the FSU in the '90s. She is proud to note that even before the opening of the new exhibit, a number of paintings had been sold. In charge of marketing and public relations, Isabella feels that whereas the gallery does its best, "the artists also must take responsibility for getting the word out and promoting their work."