Andi Arnovitz
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Andi Arnovitz ARTIST STATEMENT The artistic legacy of the Islamic world is breathtakingly seductive. I have long admired and been obsessed by the rugs, textiles, embroideries and ceramics of the Middle East. Living in Israel, with the Arab souk of the Old City within walking distance to my studio, I have, over the years, been able to see and study these treasures: These decorative arts have long served as both inspiration and a starting place for many of my artistic endeavours. One day, while sitting in my studio and going through my collection of old Hali magazines and other books on Persian art, I had a strange thought: What would happen if I deconstructed this legacy–these works of art–and then created new statements that reflected the current events of the world today? What if these textiles, these Persian and Anatolian rugs and ceramics were manipulated to reflect the political turmoil and the nuclear arms race we are witnessing today? These new works reflect this tension–the majestic beauty–the riot of colour, the magnificent decoration, the meticulous craftsmanship of these arts which I so love on the one hand, and the potential for disaster and my own personal fears on the other. Through the use of watercolours and collage I have created statements about the world we live in today. Some are dreamy and perhaps hopeful and others suggest that if we are not careful we risk everything. BIO Andi LaVine Arnovitz was born and raised in the United States. Her father and grandmother were in the fabrics and notions business–she grew up surrounded by women sewing. She received her BFA from Washington University in St. Louis and eventually emigrated to Israel at the age of forty. A multi-disciplinary artist, Arnovitz lives and works in Jerusalem–a place that is an unending source of inspiration. Her work focuses on the points of tension where politics, religion and gender meet. Of special interest are themes of modesty, repression/silencing of female voices, reproductive politics and religious coercion. She explores these themes within various media: printmaking, both etching and silkscreen; collage; artist’s books; sculpture and installation. She uses paper, fabrics and other media to create art which both educates and simultaneously protest aspects of society which she deeply believes are in need of change. Andi Arnovitz’s work has been shown in Europe, Israel, Canada, the Unites States and Eastern Europe. Her works are in many collections including the United States Library of Congress, The Israel National Library, museums in both the United States and Israel, foreign ministries and private collections. In 2014, her work was selected for two different Biennales in Israel. In 2015, she was very pleased to have a solo show of 34 watercolour collages titled “Threatened Beauty” at the LA Mayer Museum of Islamic Art in Jerusalem. She is represented in the U.S. by Shulamit Gallery, Los Angeles, and by State of the Arts Gallery in Jerusalem. Andi is an invited member of the Feminist Artist Base of the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and a board member of the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design of Hebrew University. ARTIST CONTACT +972 544-642-945 IMAGES
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