Menashe Kadishman, Large 1970's Israeli Abstract Sculpture "Birth" Iron, Wood Menashe Kadishman, c.1990's

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Menashe Kadishman (Israeli, 1932-2015) Birth Iron 17-1/2 inches (44.5 cm) high on a 6-1/4 inches (15.9 cm) high wood base … Read more Menashe Kadishman (Israeli, 1932-2015) Birth Iron 17-1/2 inches (44.5 cm) high on a 6-1/4 inches (15.9 cm) high wood base Hand signed and Inscribed on base Sculpture with base measures 23.75 x 21.5 x 15 inches. Sculpture itself measures 17.5 x 14 x 15 inches. "In the Birth Series, the winding line curves in and out, as if trying to express in iron the pangs of birth and the bursting forth of the new born into the world. The pain and anxiety of the mother inherent in the birth process, together with the life-force of the newborn infant, intertwine. Kadishman is perhaps the only artist to relate to the sentence "in sorrow shall you bear children", -Mordechai Omer. from Artnet (Hili Perlson): A strange custom has spread among the Orthodox Jewish community of Israel. Young women have been reportedly flocking to the Ramat-Gan National Park, in the suburb of Tel Aviv, where sculptures by Menashe Kadishman—one of Israel’s most notable artists, who passed away in May of last year—have been installed about two months ago. One of the artworks in question is also titled Birth, and shows an abstract figure which appears to be pregnant. Another sculpture shows a round hollow in its center, where the womb would be. In recent weeks, visitors were stunned to see Orthodox women sitting on the sculptures or lying flat on their surfaces while citing psalms. When questioned by passersby about their bizarre behavior, the religious women explained that the sculptures possess mystical qualities, and that women who come in contact with them will become more fertile and will be blessed with easy labor. Such superstition is not uncommon within some Orthodox communities, but it is likely the first time that a contemporary art work has been declared a conduit of such qualities. Menashe Kadishman was born in Tel-Aviv in 1932. He is a Graduate of St. Martin's School of Art, University of London. From 1947 to 1950, Kadishman studied with the Israeli sculptor Moshe Sternschuss at the Avni Institute of Art and Design in Tel Aviv, and in 1954 with the Israeli sculptor Rudi Lehmann in Jerusalem. In 1959, he moved to London, where he remained until 1972. He had his first one-man show there in 1965 at the Grosvenor Gallery. His sculptures of the 1960s were Minimalist in style and so designed as to appear to defy gravity. This was achieved either through careful balance and construction, as in Suspense (1966), or by using glass and metal so that the metal appeared unsupported, as in Segments (1968). In 1995, he began painting portraits of sheep. These instantly-recognizable sheep portraits soon became his artistic trademark. In 1990, Kadishman was awarded the Dizengoff Prize for Sculpture and in 1995 he was awarded the Israel Prize, for sculpture.Kadishman was an America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship recipient from 1960-1962. Menashe Kadishman was born in Tel-Aviv in 1932. He is a Graduate of St. Martin's School of Art, University of London Studies with Anthony Caro, Reg Butler. From 1947 to 1950, Kadishman studied with the Israeli sculptor Moshe Sternschuss at the Avni Institute of Art and Design in Tel Aviv, and in 1954 with the Israeli sculptor Rudi Lehmann in Jerusalem. In 1959, he moved to London, where he remained until 1972. He had his first one-man show there in 1965 at the Grosvenor Gallery. His sculptures of the 1960s were Minimalist in style and so designed as to appear to defy gravity. This was achieved either through careful balance and construction, as in Suspense (1966), or by using glass and metal so that the metal appeared unsupported, as in Segments (1968). In 1995, he began painting portraits of sheep. These instantly-recognizable sheep portraits soon became his artistic trademark. Along with Reuven Rubin and Yaacov Agam he is one of Israel's most famous artists. In 1990, Kadishman was awarded the Dizengoff Prize for Sculpture and in 1995 he was awarded the Israel Prize, for sculpture. This was from a portfolio that included Ivan Schwebel, Michael Gross, Liliane Klapisch and Moshe Kupferman, five of Israel's leading contemporary artists who were each approached in May 1977 with a request to contribute a hand-printed screenprint for a portfolio to be titled "Jerusalem". The sole term of reference was the name "Jerusalem", with no qualifications at all. The five artists then spent time working completely independently and individually on the project at the Jerusalem Print Workshop. Each screenprint was hand-signed by their respective artist and numbered from the edition of 200, hand-printed on BFK Rives paper Published by Whartman and Sacks Art Publications Kadishman was an America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship recipient from 1960-1962. Selected one man exhibitions 1965 Kadishman, Sculptures - Grosvenor Gallery, London. Curator Charles Spencer Harlow Arts Festival - Harlow, England 1967 Dunkelman Gallery, Toronto 1968 Edinburgh International Festival - Goldbergs & The Richard Demarco Gallery 1970 Menashe Kadishman / Yellow Forest - Jewish Museum, New York. Cur. Tejas Englesmith, asso. curator Edward Fry 1971 The J.L. Hudson Gallery, Detroit, Michigan 1972 Menashe Kadishman, Concepts and their realization - Mus. Haus Lange, Krefeld. Cur. Paul Wember Yellow Square, Valley of the Cross, Jerusalem 1975 Canvas Forest/Laundry - Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Curator Yona Fisher Menashe Kadishman : Glass - Julie M. Gallery, Tel Aviv 1976 M. Kadishman : Glass - Rina Gallery, New York 1977 Unicorn Gallery, Copenhagen 1978 The Venice Biennale, The Israeli Pavilion. Curator Amnon Barzel Select Group Exhibitions Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery, Tel Aviv Abramson, Larry Avigdor Arikha, Dei Ben Shaul, David Michail Grobman, Michael Gross, Uri Lifschitz, Ofer Lellouche, Menashe Kadishman, Shaul Schatz and others. Israel Pollak School of Art Kalisher Five, Art Sc, Tel Aviv Abramson, Larry Menashe Kadishman, Pinchas Cohen Gan, David Reeb, Arnon Ben David, Moshe Gershuni and other. Selected one man exhibitions 1965 Kadishman, Sculptures - Grosvenor Gallery, London. Curator Charles Spencer Harlow Arts Festival - Harlow, England 1967 Dunkelman Gallery, Toronto 1968 Edinburgh International Festival - Goldbergs & The Richard Demarco Gallery 1970 Menashe Kadishman / Yellow Forest - Jewish Museum, New York. Cur. Tejas Englesmith, asso. curator Edward Fry 1971 The J.L. Hudson Gallery, Detroit, Michigan 1972 Menashe Kadishman, Concepts and their realization - Mus. Haus Lange, Krefeld. Cur. Paul Wember Yellow Square, Valley of the Cross, Jerusalem 1975 Canvas Forest/Laundry - Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Curator Yona Fisher Menashe Kadishman : Glass - Julie M. Gallery, Tel Aviv 1976 M. Kadishman : Glass - Rina Gallery, New York 1977 Unicorn Gallery, Copenhagen 1978 The Venice Biennale, The Israeli Pavilion. Curator Amnon Barzel See less