Morris Dahan Safed Gallery
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| Hebrew: | |
|---|---|
| מוריס דהן | |
| Pronunciation: | |
| Mor-ris Da-han | |
| Other Names: | |
| Morris Dahan Gallery | |
| Description: | |
| Exhibition of the paintings of Tzfat based artist Morris Dahan. |
Morris Dahan has been creating art in Tzfat since his childhood. He is a self-taught artist and his simple renditions of the nature and beauty of the Land of Israel and its people alongside Biblical narratives are popular with tourists and art lovers from throughout the world.
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Background
Morris Dahan was born in Tzfat, the seventh child of a family which had recently arrived in Israel from Morocco. He was attracted to art from an early age and, although he studied biology in school, decided to pursue painting as a way to earn a living. He taught himself the fine points of paintings and developed his own style which he continues to refine.
Themes
Morris’s art themes derive from various sources including nature and religious themes and Biblical stories. His background in biology gives him a knowledgeable base which he relies on when painting flora and fauna of the area, pomegranates, scenes of the sea, wildlife and animal life. Morris also explores religious subjects in his paintings. He paints stories from the Bible that speak to him such as Jacob’s Coat of Many Colors, Jacob’s Ladder and the Parting of the Red Sea.
Microcalligraphy
Morris is not a microcalligraphy artist per se, but he does create vibrant works of microcalligraphy. Microcalligraphy involves a process in which entire Books of the Bible are written in tiny letters. These verses are then formed into shapes which become part of a picture that illustrates the narrative. Several of Morris’s works involve exploring a theme or story which he has painted before in another manner -- he likes to revisit favorite Bible stories and themes and then paint them in alternate ways. Morris also creates serigraphs, including his Five Women work, which allows him to present a Biblical narrative as a progressing story.
Technique
Morris works in watercolors. He views himself as a contemporary artist who explores traditional themes in his work. He uses sharp, firm lines along with bright vivid colors. Some of his paintings show a lone figure on a white background while other paintings are a rainbow of colors.
Exhibition
Morris Dahan’s gallery is located on the Yosef Caro Street of the Old Jewish Quarter of Safed. He works in his gallery where he displays his works. Morris is a member of the Artists Quarter Association of Safed. He has exhibited his works in galleries throughout the world along with his Safed permanent exhibition.
