Eliahou Eric Bokobza – Oeuvre
Past Exhibition
24.5.2023 - 28.7.2023
Eliahou Eric Bokobza – An Artist who tests the boundaries of local contradictions.
In his new exhibition at The Engel Gallery we exhibit artworks which examines Israeli-ness and Judaism through Bokobza’s curious eyes from the time he was a immigrant youth from France to the land of milk, honey and bitter herbs; and as an adult artist which explores the delicate and diverse fabric of the geographical, political, and sociological landscape of the land of Israel.
Excerpt from the artists CV:
Eliahou Eric Bokobza is perfecting a calculated child-like style of painting by means of which he either makes critical statements about religion, militarism and nationalism (and much else); sets out to debunk revered icons of Israeli and international art history.1 His unique style of jaunty, colorfully plump caricatures disguises one of the most radical artists working in Israel today. It seems there’s no taboo Bokobza hasn’t addressed in the most avant-garde manner.2
Bokobza includes painting on canvas, ink drawings on paper and Prints, small sculpture and objects as well as new-media painting-based animation.
Bokobza bases his work on sources and traditions in local art, changing and adapting them to the contemporary period. He examines the iconography of the origins of artistic creation in Israel, intelligently working it over with the help of contemporary tools while emphasizing the importance of preserving traditions and original sources. Nonetheless, his works are characterized by a refreshing vitality, thus also portraying the moods and atmosphere of current times.3
Bokobza only started painting seriously at the age of 32, enrolling to study in Tel Aviv at the Pollack-Kalisher Art School. Since his graduation in the year 2000, his paintings have been exhibited to critical acclaim. He has held many solo shows and participated in group exhibitions at museums around Israel and Europe.
The works of Eliahou Eric Bokobza are part of the permanent collection of The Israel Museum in Jerusalem, The Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, The Knesset Parliament in Jerusalem, The Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, Ein harod Museum of Art, Bar David Museum in Baram and private collections in Israel and worldwide.
1 Angela Levin: Ariel, the Israel review of arts and letters, June 2002
2 Dr. Kzia Alon : Evil , Mit’an no. 23, winter 2014
3 Prizes in Art and Design from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport catalogue, 2004
