Arie Ofir

ARIE OFIR

ARTIST STATEMENT

Jewish ceremonial art is the most effective medium for spreading a facet of culture in Israel. Every home, whether religiously observant or secular, has Sabbath candlesticks or a Hanukah lamp. Few of the owners of such items are art collectors or artists, yet most of them are keen on their beauty. It is the designer’s role to introduce them to new attitudes regarding form, proportion, harmony and textures.

ARTIST’S WORKS

Jewish Art Online is pleased to present a collection of the artist’s works below. If you do not find precisely what you desire, the artist will be glad to create a commissioned work for you specification. Please contact us for more information.

 

ARTIST’S CV

Born 1939 in Israel
Lives in Ein Hod
Works in Ein Karmel  
 
Education and Teaching
1961 – 1964    The Bezalel School of Art and Design, Jerusalem
1963 – 1965    Worked with   D.H.  Gumbel in Jerusalem
1966 – 1968    “George Jensen”, Copenhagen Denmark
1969 – 1985    Lecturer, Bezalel Academy for Art and Design, Jerusalem
1972 – 1994    Department Head – Gold & Silver Smiting department, Bezalel
1977                 Appointed Associate Professor of fine art , Bezalel Academy of Art and Design
1982                Appointed Full Professor of Fine Art, Bezalel Academy of Art and Design
 
Solo Exhibitions
1978                Heichal Shlomo Museum Jerusalem                
1979                Spertus Museum Chicago    
                        Jewish Museum New York              
                        Yeshiva University Museum New York City                    
                        Concept Gallery Carmel California                                        
                        Temple Beth Shalom, Miami beach Florida             
1980               Jerusalem House of Quality                                
1984               Goldman Gallery Washington D.C
1986               Design Centre Alroai, Tel Aviv
1989               Helen drut Gallery, New York              
1994               Design Gallery   Ein Hod           
 
 Select Group Exhibitions
1969              Sondershow, Munich W.-Germany                           
                       Binyaney Hauma Jerusalem
1970             “Bezalel” Academy Jerusalem
1976              Israeli Product Designs Centre Tel Aviv
1977              Israel Museum
1978              Electrum Gallery London                           
                      Arnolfiny Gallery Bristol                           
                      Tyler School of Art Temple University Philadelphia                           
                      Schmoock museum Pforzheim W. Germany                           
                      Diamond Museum Antverpen Belgium                           
                      Victoria & Albert Museum London                           
                      Museum of the 20th century Vienna, Tin symposium exhibition
1981              Jerusalem Theatre Gallery                           
                      Horace Richter Gallery, Jaffa                           
                      The De zone Hoff Museum Amersfoort Holland         
                       Micimoto center  Tokyo Japan
1982              The Israel Museum, Patents Exhibition                          
1983              Jewish Federation Council Los Angeles
1984              Temple Emanuel Houston Texas               
                       The modern art museum Kyoto And Tokyo Japan
1985              The Israel Museum, Jerusalem “Neroth Mitzvah”
1986              Artists House Jerusalem, 11  Artists Contemporary Design 
1989              The Israel museum Jerusalem “Judaica Here And Now”
1990              “Thinking in Carton” The Artist House Jerusalem              
                       Barbican London                    
                       Rothschild Foundation traveling exhibition               
                       Artisans d’ Israel de la Foundation Alix de “Hotel  De Sens Paris              
                       Maison de  L’Artisant et des metriesd’ Art, Marseille, France
1991               Musees royaux d’ art et d’ Historie.  Bruxelles              
                       Palacio Galveias. Lisbon Portugal1992              
                       “Vaiehi Or” The Jewish Museum Frankfurt W. Germany              
                       The “Animal Exhibition”  Otenta Gallery Tel Aviv
1994              The Museum for Modern Art, Tokyo Japan, “Israeli Contemporary Craft              
                       Herzliya Museum “Object thing Object”    
1996              Selected Works from the Jerusalem 3000 competition, Jerusalem 
1998              Eretz Israel Museum “Continuity and Change 92 years of Judaica at Bezalel
1999              The Israel Museum “Homage for Izica” by 70 designers               
                       The Jewish Museum Vienna Change 92  years of Judaica at Bezalel
2000             Aksel Shpringer Centre, Hamburg              
                       Visual Art Centre in the design Museum Seoul Korea
2001              The Museum of Fine Arts, Vallencia Spain         
                        The Jewish Museum, Amsterdam       
2002              Yeshiva University Museum, New York
2004              Recent Work: Lighting Elements “L.A. Contemporary”
2010               “Designed properly” Farm Gallery, Holon                     
                        “The five elements” Gallery on the Lake” Raanana
 
Publications
1976                Wrote the value; “gold and silver smiting in the Hebrew Encyclopedia
1977                Edited; “Yesodot Hatzorfut” fundamental information about metals designs.
Projects
1975                Designed and executed memorial in the Peace Forest, Jerusalem
1978 – 1979    Exhibition and lecture tour, U.S.A.
1985                Guest curator, Exhibition of Design, The Jerusalem Artists House
1991                 Sculptural mural with Gaia Zilber Enamellist, in “Binyanney Hauma, Jerusalem. 8×5.5 m             
                         Registered patent for a multi structural joint for self-ensemble of furniture.
1998                Designed and produced a special gift given by the Chief of Staff to the I.D.F             
                         Masada Chanukah Menorah presented to President Bill Clinton on his visit to Masada.
1999                Designed and created the commemoration hall in the Air Force Building, Herzliya.
 
Select Awards and Scholarships
1992                Israel Museum, Honorable mention, the “Crate & Barrel award” design competition.                    
                         Israel Museum The Jesselson Price, for life work in contemporary design of Judaica.
 
Select Private and Public Collections
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Spertus Museum in Chicago
Skirball Museum, Los Angeles
The Jewish Museum, New York
The Jewish Museum Amsterdam.
The Museum of the 20th century, Vienna.
Important international private collections