Games of light

The exhibition took place during:

April-May 2003 in two different spaces at the same time
in Tel-Aviv At Danon Gallery
in Bitan Aharon, at Beit Harishonim Gallery.

Exhibition of pictures in oil on canvas. At the exhibition were shown pictures of which the starting point was white color- the focus of the light.
In these paintings a dialogue exists between the white and blinding light of our country, which apparently jumps out of the canvas, and the various  colors which express different perceptions of the landscape. This dialogue is the games of light.

From the Press: 

Light has preoccupied her ever since, in her watercolors, and in Oil paintings, too. For Polotsky, light is not one of many motifs: It is the sabject of her work.

David Rapp, Haaretz, 25.4.2003


More about the exhibition

One of the verses in Genesis which has always inspired me was, "Let there be light and there was light." I think that light is the essence of everything in our world.

Scientifically, white light contains all the colours of the rainbow mixed together so that we perceive them as colourless. Paradoxically, although this light doesn‘t appear coloured, it gives the impression of brightness and colourfulness.

However, the perception of light is not only visual; it also has psychological significance which is just as important. Wealth of light affects people‘s temper and joie de vivre, and people who live in sunny climates can attest to this.

Israeli painters were influenced by the European impressionists but could not ignore the fact that the light in our area is different from that in Europe. The perception of bright Israeli light is expressed by many Israeli painters by accentuating the deep shadows and the blinding light; colours which are not as soft as in Europe.

In my oil paintings, the starting point is the white colour; the focus of the light is the point from which I begin my paintings. During the painting process the different spots of colour gain importance as they cover the space or leave it blank.

Covering with colour or leaving blank the white space is the subject of the paintings in this catalogue. This dialogue between white light, the blinding light of my country which jumps out from the canvas, and the various colours which express different perceptions of the landscape.

The effect of serenity is achieved by placing the white colour opposite the different half-tones of soft, light colours painted in horizontal strokes In contrast, the effect of storminess is achieved by putting the white colour opposite whole tones of bold colours, a combination which creates strong contrast. These colours are painted in diagonal strokes which contribute to the feeling of discomfort and drama (please see for example the paintings:  "Small light", "The ship sails").

The white light of sunny Israel is to me a symbol of hope and happiness, which I want to share in this gallery.

 Liat Polotsky [from the exhibition‘s catalogue]

cover of the catalog