Leon Azoulay Microcalligraphy Safed
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| Hebrew: | |
|---|---|
| לאון אזולאי | |
| Pronunciation: | |
| Le-oon Az-oo-lai | |
| Other Names: | |
| Leon Gallery, Leon Microcalligraphy, Azoulay Gallery | |
| Description: | |
| Gallery of Microcalligraphy in Tzfat with Biblical and other Jewish motifs. |
The Tzfat art-world was once a secular scene but in recent years more Jewish-themed art has made its way into the conscious of buyers and sellers alike. Leon Azoulay is a contemporary Tzfat artist who is following the tradition of Shalom of Safed, Tzfat’s original microcalligraphy artist, in creating Jewish microcalligraphy art.
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Microcalligraphy
Micro calligraphy is an ancient art which incorporates Biblical or other holy scriptural texts into paintings which illustrate the text. The texts are written in minute lettering and become part of the painting’s form and shape. Microcalligraphy artists use the texts to illustrate the story’s narrative. Microcalligraphy artists can write the text of an entire Book of the Bible on a canvas, sheet of paper or parchment.
Background
Leon Azoulay immigrated to Israel from Morocco with his family in 1955. The family settled in Tzfat and Leon studied art at college level. He sought to find an art medium by which he could combine his passions -- art, Tzfat and Judaism. He became interested in the idea of microcalligraphy as a way to fuse these interests. Azoulay’s microcalligraphy paintings depict scenes from the Bible. He blends Biblical passages and texts with illustrative pictures.
Inspiration
Azoulay fuses the texts of Jewish prayers, ceremonies, Books of the Bible and religious chants with illustrative paintings. Some of Azoulay’s best-known microcalligraphy works include the Books of Ruth, Lamantations, Song of Songs, the Book of Esther and Psalms along with illustrations of the weekly Torah Portions. The Azoulay Gallery displays Azoulay’s seriographs that follow the narratives of Biblical accounts along with offside lithographs which portray Biblical accounts with minute detail. The gallery also includes Azoulay’s oil paintings of the lanes and alleys of the Old Jewish Quarter of Tzfat as well as scenes from fields and groves, flowers and Azoulay’s native Morocco.
Gallery
Azoulay has a permanent exhibition on the Beit Yosef Street in the Old Jewish Quarter where he exhibits oil paintings of scenes of Tzfat, northern Israel and his boyhood home in Morocco. He has also participated in exhibitions in Lille, Montreal, Boca Raton, Northbrook, Nanuet, Jerusalem, New York, Cleveland, Toronto and Miami Beach.
The Azoulay Gallery displays the work of Leon’s daughter Dorin Azoulay who creates art that is infused with Kabbalistic meanings.
