Michail Grobman (b. 1939) – Vodonag, 1976 – Acrylic on Paper

Michail Grobman (b. 1939) – Vodonag, 1976 – Acrylic on Paper

Michail Grobman (b. 1939), Водонаг (Vodonag). Jerusalem, 1976.
Acrylic on paper. Signed, titled, and dated.
35X50 cm. Good condition. Stains, especially to edges.
Michail Grobman (b. 1939), Russian-Israeli painter and poet, native of Moscow. Among the founders of the Second Russian Avant-Garde – a title he himself coined – in the Soviet Union in the 1960s. Immigrated to Israel in 1971. Established the Leviathan Group in 1975 in collaboration with Avraham Ofek and Samuel Ackerman. The style of the group represented a blend of contemporary art, Jewish themes, symbolism, and metaphysics. In the manifesto entitled "The Leviathan Declaration, " publicized in 1976, Grobman set forth the group's goals: "Our joint appearance is an incipient attempt to create an inclusive national style that befits the spirit of the building of the New Israel […], our political basis [is] Zionism. Our spiritual basis – Jewish mysticism. Three foundations define our artistic stance: 1. Primitivism 2. Symbol 3. Letter."
In an interview with the children's weekly magazine "Davar Liyeladim" in 1981, Grobman had this to say about his work: “Nothing I do pertains to the realm of psychology, nor to any emotional aspect of life. Nor am I endeavoring to imitate Nature […] One must never attempt to transfer any of these beautiful living things around us onto a piece of paper and turn them into something of a forgery of life. The purpose of the painting is entirely different […] Painting and art must serve to build the conditions for an altogether new world! Just as God, once upon a time, created the world as a work of art which is presently alive with us living in it, so must the artist seek the opportunity to create a totally new condition, which, in the case of a picture, is something we absorb through the eye."
Provenance: The Rami Cohen Collection.

Art collector Rami Cohen (1941-2018), native of Poland, immigrated to Israel with his family in 1948. Educated in Moshav Nahalal, he began painting already in his youth. Served as a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces' standing army, and was decorated for the act of evacuating wounded soldiers under fire. Cohen was injured his right hand in the course of his army service, the injury leaving him disabled and unable to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. Nevertheless, he never lost his love for art, and the adversity he experienced simply led him to change direction from artist to art collector, and to devote much of his strength and wealth toward assembling his collection, leading him to become a passionately involved participant and a dominant influence in a number of different artistic circles. He organized and curated various art exhibitions, including, for example, "Nation Builds Land: Israeli History as Mirrored through Art" (1988) at the Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art. His collection includes portraits by Yehezkel Streichman and Menashe Kadishman who personally presented them to him as gifts, as a token of their friendship. He similarly established close friendships with many other artists. Ensuring that Israeli art command the respect it deserved was high among his lifelong list of priorities, as was the challenge of enabling artists to thrive and prosper; to that end, he lent his personal assistance to artists seeking to advance their professional careers. He took a special interest in artists such as Michail Grobman, Shmuel Ackerman, and others arriving in Israel from the former Soviet Union, and helped bring them into the public spotlight. Initiated and edited the online database entitled "Omanut Israel" (or "Art 23,") which included articles and media reviews in addition to a great deal of professional material relating to the Israeli art scene, being utilized by professional and government bodies. His collection is multi-faceted and richly diverse, consisting of artworks by both Israeli and non-Israeli artists, representing a broad spectrum of artistic styles, schools, and trends – a collection that reflects significant and fascinating developments in the field of Israeli art over a period of several decades, all from the point of view of a true lover of art.