Shimon Betuel - Creator of Identity, Roots, and Connection - Solo Exhibition, Curator: Itay Gabay at Askila Gallery, Jaffa, 1/12/2025-2/1/2026
Shimon Betuel, born in 1979 in Ukraine, was raised in a traditional, musical Jewish home, with layered roots stemming from both Georgian and Ashkenazi heritage.
Upon immigrating to Israel in 1991, he gradually distanced himself from music but found his new artistic voice in material, form, and color. His main inspiration came from his father’s home – a Judaica artist – and thus, among raw materials and Jewish spirit, Shimon's passion for visual creation was born.
As a teenager, he studied at the Herzog Gymnasium Art High School in Holon. Following his military service, he pursued a degree in Industrial Design, and later managed the family business focused on the design and production of handcrafted artworks and ritual Judaica objects. These pieces served not only as expressions of beauty, but also as vessels of identity, tradition, and meaning.
A deep attraction to Jewish history — in all its cultural and inner layers — stands at the core of Shimon’s art. This connection does not stem from a strictly religious approach, but rather from a deep longing to connect with identity, collective memory, and the shared roots of the Jewish people.
In Shimon Betuel’s works, the aesthetics of line and abstract composition, combined with figurative Judaica in bold color palettes, take center stage. Characters from the biblical era and colorful figures from across the Jewish world in the 21st century, along with his innovative approach that merges classical painting with abstract techniques and backgrounds, come together to form an authentic narrative and a fresh approach to contemporary Jewish-Israeli art.
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