Israel Celebrates Art of Harry Araten

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem----December 6 ..... Israel is celebrating the art of Harry Araten in an exhibit named: "The Little Man, Nature and Freedom." Harry Araten's watercolors are a unique blend of compassion and gentle satire painted with poetic sensitivity. On December 5, 2004, in his memory, the works of this Israeli artist were displayed in a one-man show at the Art Association in Tel Aviv. Over two hundred invited guests attended the elegant gallery opening in Tel Aviv.

Harry Araten, who was born in 1936 and succumbed to cancer in 2001 grew up in New York. He studied at New York University and the School of Visual Arts and the New School. From 1968, he lived with his family in Israel. Since 1965 he has had many major one-man shows all over the world including San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, London, Amsterdam, Tokyo and throughout Israel.

His works of Israeli art are among the collections of Baroness De Rothschild, the Duke of Windsor, Isaac Stern, Mistislav Rostropovich, IBM (Holland and Israel), Phillips, Bank Leumi and The Israel Museum. Harry Araten was very active in the Art Association of Tel Aviv and was a founder and activist of the Israeli Miniature Association.

What makes these strong and subtle paintings of Araten so penetrating is that the dramatic element is almost underplayed, they are full of tenderness, enraptured with small discoveries. His little man takes pleasure in the cheerful accents of a flower, a small angel, butterflies and balloons, where his world is light and playful. The settings, beautiful and subtle in changing colors, are always vague, uncertain and elusive.

For Araten,who spent much of his life in Israel and is survived by his wife and two daughters, humanity is represented by a little man and by the hopes of an angelic alter-ego. Optimistically, but with an underlying sadness, he searches single-mindedly for happiness. Araten was chosen by Lufthansa as the Israeli artist for a series of serigraphs. He has illustrated books including " Angels & Others ", " Gates of Love ", "Two by Two", and "The First Jewish Children's Book of Why".

Harry Araten was commissioned to do fund raising works to support Bnai Akiva, Assaf Harofe Hospital, Ramot Shapira Institute and Ramaz School in Israel. Araten's philosophy can be understood with his comments on his work such as: "my art is oblique". "The messages of my work lend themselves to individual interpretations which are revealed gradually". "I am optimistic that man, in his struggle against his environment, will emerge in a private paradise of his own creation". Harry Araten's pictures offer both happiness and wistfulness. There is much wisdom emanating from his paintings. When a burden is unbearable, the best thing to do is to handle it gently and laugh a little.

The Israel Painters and Sculptors Association is located at 9 Alharizi Street in Tel Aviv, Israel. One can contact the association by calling telephone number 972-3-524 66 85. The operation of the Artists House as a cultural center comprises of three art galleries as well as lithography and painting workshops, at the service of creative artists. The Artists House is a meeting-place for artists and a venue for functions and debates on contemporary art issues. Growing membership has led to the opening of independent chapters in Jerusalem, Haifa and Beer Sheva.

The Tel Aviv Artists House was founded in Israel in 1948, to serve in the first place as an exhibition pavilion dedicated to uncovering and bringing to the fore new trends in local art and at the same time represent veteran artists in retrospective of their life work. The three house galleries run monthly changing exhibitions. Other activities are art lectures, lithography workshops, painting workshops, model drawing, and ARTA professional equipment store and Members Club. The Tel Aviv Chapter now numbers over 1800 members. The Association is supported by the Culture and Art Division of the Ministry of Education, and by the Municipality of Tel-Aviv. The Tel Aviv Chapter now numbers over 2400 members. The Art Association is supported by the Culture and Art Division of the Israel Ministry of Education, and by the Municipality of Tel-Aviv.

Harry Araten's daughter Yael organized the exhibition with the help of her father's best friends and fellow artists Dick Ben Dor and Victor Franco. Yael has been a professional in Israel's tourism and hotel industry for 20 years and decided to take some time off to dedicate herself to making her father's works of art known to the public.

When talking about her father Yael says: "I am my father's biggest fan. Who could be better than me in keeping his memory alive in our hearts." Yael adds: "When I am asked how can I bear to sell his paintings, there wont be any left for you, I say, it makes me feel good knowing they are hanging in someone's home and whenever they look at the painting it makes them feel good and that makes me happy. My home is full of his art and I want to share the joy with others."

Yael Araten can be contacted at : yaelaraten@yahoo.com