Nessim Zalayet

'Mini Retro 60 - 10'

What to present at the exhibition?
Which paintings to choose this time?
Ask him?
Consult with him?
I know the answer. He wants me to show his latest paintings.
The truth,
I love his earlier paintings.
There are many of them,
Even a lot. A lot.

Painting for 60 years, here in Israel

He drew so many series.
Some of them last for several years or even a decade.
So how can I even organize an exhibition of his works?
He didn't prepare for the exhibition in particular (like the guest artists who exhibit with us).
He's always drawing.
Mainly what he feels at that moment, today or this week.
Tests colors, materials, compositions
Yes, he still checks and investigates, even at his advanced age.

When I want to do an exhibition for him

I find myself, every time anew,
Wondering what to show?
What topic to choose?
And recently I understood
That there is no need to choose a subject (this means bending one's art to the desired standard)
I realized that going with my gut feeling would be the best thing for him.
And for his works
He's so old, so experienced, so special.
And the most correct thing is to show his life as an artist reflected in his works.
(He has already reached the age where he can do this :-)
So I chose to give it a long-term view.

Not an exhibition, a display!

With small tastes from his many years of creation
With tiny bites that convey the flavor
With glimpses of many years of creativity and his development as an artist
Since the early 1960s here in Israel
Until these very days
And I wish I had a bigger place to display.
Article: Irit Dellal Zlait

A selection of paintings from the exhibition