Israel to be represented in the local Biennale - El Telegrafo Newspaper
15-Marzo-2010

Igal Fedida studied photography in Los Angeles. After years as a painter, he wanted to take art classes, but then dropped out.
With the aim of submitting two works, he has entered the II Guayaquil International Álvaro Noboa Pontón Biennale of Painting. During his stay, he toured the Luis Noboa Naranjo Museum.

From Monday to Thursday, the Israeli painter, Igal Fedida visited Guayaquil with the aim of submitting the two works he had entered into the II Guayaquil International Álvaro Noboa Pontón Biennal of Painting. During his stay, he toured the Luis Noboa Naranjo Museum, where the artistic program will be inaugurated on April 28.

Among the abstract works of national artists, Fedida commented that he had only once before participated in an event similar to the biennale, in Jerusalem, and this is his first visit to Latin America. He received information about the event via an art teacher, an admirer of his works, who visited his gallery in Miami (Igal Fedida Fine Art Gallery) and placed him in contact with the director of the Luis Noboa Naranjo Museum.

He acknowledges that he is related to a high degree with the so-called New York school which is part of a current of abstract expressionism. From there, he takes another path related to symbolism. “I discovered my own way to bring together symbolism and abstract art: calligraphy,” he indicated.

By way of ancient texts, such as the Torah, calligraphy forms a part of his tradition, although he applies it to rice paper and watercolor paper on canvas.

“Everything related to ink fascinates me and I feel connected to it, such as the writings in the Koran and Arab texts,” states Fedida, recalling his father in Morocco, and thereby connecting to the judeo-arabic techniques of writing. He has also studied in China. For the biennale, he has presented two works that, in his opinion, deal with creation; with the expression of emotions, via an abstract for the wall elaborated with ink.

The work, Cycle and Order, by Igal Fedida is one of 150 reproductions in Studio Visit, vol. 2. Fedida has also visited the small galleries in Las Peñas, where an installation in wood drew his attention. At the same time, the purpose of his visit to Guayaquil was to ensure that his works on rice paper on canvas and elaborated with ink would not be damaged in transit. In regards to the Luis Noboa Naranjo Museum, the idea of an exhibition center named after a philanthropist who sought to bring art closer to the community and to make it available to other cultural manifestations appealed to him.

Over the course of his career, the self-taught Israeli painter has exhibited in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and different locations and competitions in Israel, among them one in which submitted two paintings.

Consequently his work, Cycle and Order was chosen from among 150 of the 5,000 participating artists, finalists who would tour 2,000 exhibition centers (galleries and museums) in the United States via the magazine Studio Visit, vol. 2, published by Open Studios Press.

His gallery – open since Summer 2009 – only exhibits his art as a permanent display; meanwhile
Fedida paints daily.

He also holds classes in the gallery, and includes time volunteered with a children’s organization. At present, he has an exhibition in Miami. (WF)