Dondi Schwartz, Kontrapunkt (Counterpoint), 2021

oil on canvas
80×100 cm

Kontrapunkt may be a musical masterpiece incorporating various melodies and tones. The setting is a beautiful peaceful spring day, not too warm, as the flower garden basks in the gentle sunshine. The artist adds innate objects that seemingly dance to the soft music, adding a perfect harmony and unique narrative that only an accomplished novelist could compose.

Kontrapunkt (from thefreedictionary,com) Melodic material that is added above or below an existing melody. The technique of combining two or more melodic lines in such a way that they establish a harmonic relationship while retaining their linear individuality. A contrasting but parallel element, item, or theme. Use of contrasting elements in a work of art.

Dondi was born in Canada in 1961 and moved to Israel with his family at a young age. Currently, he lives and works on Kibbutz Beeri in the Negev Region of Israel.

Schwartz studied art at the Avni School of Arts in Tel Aviv, The Kibbutz Workshop for Painting and Creative Writing and in the Uta Patinkin Atalier. In addition, he studied photography at Camera Obscura School of Arts, Beit-Svi Film School in Tel Aviv and in Concordia University, Montreal.

The artist’s works travel freely between the decorative works of art nouveau to the deep thoughts of the surrealists, yet at times incorporating the simplicity of the naive artists. Through his paintings, we experience the freedom and nature of the rural Israeli life, where one dreams of connections to the natural surroundings.

Schwartz has published several novels in Hebrew and has produced numerous independent films (documentaries & feature drama films) that participated in film festivals, were screened in Israeli theaters and on the Israeli TV.