Michal Katzir

The term vector is a physical quantity that has a direction in the three-dimensional Euclidean space. Examples of vector quantities: copy, speed, acceleration, force. In order to fully describe these sizes, it is not enough to answer the question “how much” but we will also have to answer the question “to where, in what direction”… for the representation of a vector we need data as the number of dimensions of the space we are discussing” (from the whole).

At the base of Michal Katzir’s painting is an in-depth investigation of the objects, of the space, of the movement, of the relationships between the objects. Michal Katzir creates her artistic inner world through an in-depth investigation of all dimensions. “I am very attracted to movement, to sequence. Tracing vectors, games of attraction and repulsion between forces.” Katzir usually works in long series where she investigates a certain phenomenon in all its dimensions. Katze recording camera and likes to use FREEZE FRAME from videos as a source for works, mainly because of the movement and blur that allow to go further from the source. Katzir investigates the transition from figurative to abstract, looks for the movement in the pictorial frame and deals with the play of forces between the stain and the line, between the soft and the hard, between the black and the white. According to her, the series make it possible to delve into one subject and go with it until the forces working on it are dismantled. Many series deal with nature that never ceases to hypnotize and motivate her to create. Nature as a platform for the games of forces, for the mystery, the energy, the movement, the intensity of life and their endless flow.

Several series are presented in the exhibition:

The bird series begins with an article about a study carried out in England that dealt with flocks of cuckoo birds. In the research it was found that the upliftment of the band happens after a long “deen and talk”, and when the voices in favor grow stronger and reach a critical mass, the whole band uplifts at once. You can say democracy. Attached to the article is a video where two birds stand out that have not moved from their place. The whole flock rose and flew and only the two birds remained in exactly the same position on the empty branches. You can say Solism. The bird series deals with movement that becomes blurred lines, the disengagement from the tangle, the game of pulling and disengagement between the starting point and rising and the forward movement like a dance of power games and parting. The branches that reach up and cling to the band that with a strong movement break off. The series was created using the technique of reduction. The entire paper is blackened with charcoal and then with an eraser the drama is revealed as all forces coalesce into a perfect storm.

Another series presented in the exhibition is the “Wadi Lotem” series. Works of dry pastel colors on brown or black paper created with joy and joy, a huge creation with enigmatic hints that are open to personal interpretation. According to Katzir: “I enjoyed touching the material together with the head pulling in implicit traumatizing directions. I never come from absolutes. I come from pleasure and also from a sense of disaster. Within the endearing nature creepers, disasters can hide. This is the kind of feeling I work with. The strong forces of goodness And evil work here at the same time. Nature is stormy, beautiful but also very dangerous. There are dangerous wild animals alongside great beauty.”

The water series – the exhibition presents three works from the series related to water. One large work (Shakmona Reserve) of dry pastel on paper and two more of dry pastel on slide. “For me, water is emotion, movement, strength and calmness. In the sea there is breathing in and out, endless movement. And in the paintings of the reflection in the water (Kinneret) there is confusion, distortion of reality, a hint of the source. What really was and what is the reflection created by the movement of the water..”

In the body of Michal Katzir’s works there are several other fascinating series that are not dependent on the exhibition but are very important for understanding her artistic path:

The series “On the boards” includes works of charcoal on paper drawn freehand tracing the games of light and shadow and the vectors that were present there.

 

The series “Footsteps in the Sand” was created from pastel colors on paper and deals with what remains after people disappear. The shadow in the center, and at the edges hints of the lives that were and are gone, and in the closing….

The series “Trees” which is all charcoal on paper creates a feeling of compressed, pulsating, sizzling and painted intensity. According to Katzir: “By choosing to paint the negative, I create a sense of mystery. You still see real images but you get an additional dimension of mystery.”

The series “Stepping on Glass” was created using the technique of processed photography. “I left the frame as it is and played with the colors. The original photograph was seemingly innocent. Women creating movement in the studio but from there came out very dark things of a wound. An attack. Everything is open, implied and fully subject to personal interpretation.”

 

Michal Katzir, born in Rehovot – sketcher, painter, photographer, designer, multidisciplinary artist who specialized in the various fields of art with the best teachers: painting with Sabina Mendel. Engraving by Avraham Eilat. Photo by Morel Deffler. Animation by Roni Oren. Illustration by Avner Katz. Comics by Michel Kishka. Foreign studies, review of works by Rafi Lavi. Graphic design at WICHO Haifa. Participated in the course “Photography as a tool for personal and artistic expression” at “Dada” in Florentine. Designed the art magazine “Arba al Hammes” edited by Hana Koffler.

Exhibitions:
1988 – Painting and drawing at WICHO Haifa
2006- Painting and photography solo exhibition at “Bacho” Tel Aviv. (An entire article was dedicated to the series of photographs in the exhibition in the 2009 “Odysseus” magazine, written by Dr. Orli Shanker).
2006- Participation in a group exhibition of the “Hablok” group in Haifa.
2011 – Solo exhibition of processed photography at “Zimmer” in Tel Aviv.
2021 – Participation in the “Open Studio” event in Haifa.
2022 – Participation in a group exhibition at “Pyramid” in Haifa.

Dr. Galia Dochin Arieli
Global Art Gallery
0502811710