JAAKOV BLUMAS "THE MULTIVERSE"

Jaakov Blumas exhibition "The Multiverse" at the Kaunas Picture Gallery (K. Donelaičio St. 16, Kaunas).

Painting has numerous facets – if not infinitely many. Within the otherwise hermetic field of contemporary constructivist-concrete art, Jaakov Blumas occupies a certain special position due to his complex handling of painting and object. In his works, he not only opens up essential new possibilities for painting in terms of color, but he also frequently expands the panel painting into three-dimensional and even kinetic space. Both approaches run counter to the dogmas of Concrete Art, yet they are indispensable for any contemporary and productive engagement with this pictorial tradition.

Contrary to the predominantly planar and monochrome manner of painting typically associated with the genre, Blumas develops a painterly surface texture–based on geometric forms – that is both dynamic and almost tactile. His sensitive handling of color unfolds beyond primary hues, revealing the finest gradations and subtle nuances. Time and again, circular segments, squares, and rectangles are configured into systemic constellations that often seem to press into the third dimension. Moreover, he frequently subjects many of his compositions to continual transformation through re- or new arrangements, occasionally inviting viewers themselves to participate. Other works employ subtle patterns and delicate shading reminiscent of the perceptual-aesthetic experiments of Op Art.

Particularly characteristic of Jaakov Blumas is his chromatic spectrum, which oscillates between dark, earthy tones and radiant monochromes. It evokes less the origins of Concrete-Constructive art in classical modernism than the color palette of French landscape painting. It is precisely from this virtuosic interplay that the fascinating presence of Jaakov Blumas’ works arises.

Jaakov Blumas (b.1953 in Vilnius, Lithuania) emigrated to Israel at the age of 18 and initially studied civil engineering in Haifa before pursuing fine arts at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Hamburg from 1982 to 1989.

/Dr. Ralf F.Hartmann, Director of the “Center for Contemporary Art” Berlin/Spandau/

The event is open to the public and may be filmed and photographed. By attending, you agree to be featured in photographs and videos of the event and are informed that these materials may be made public.