Ronit Dovrat[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

Ronit Dovrat, (Ebraico רונית דברת, Haifa 1955 - Carrara 2011),è stata un'artista israeliana ed attivista politica per la pace in Palestina, residente in Italia dal 1987.

Life[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

Ronit came from afar. Her existence lay within an ancient, rooted history, marked by diversely dramatic past and present, the story of the Jewish people.

She graduated in 1978 in Art, Design and Teaching at the Institute for Teachers of Art "HaMidrasha" in Tel Aviv, after a long period of political militancy in Israel side by side with students and teaching staff of the University of Birzeit (Palestine). In 1980 with artists Arie Berkovitz and Sarah Hinski she founded in Tel Aviv the experimental art gallery "Ahad Ha'am 90". In 1984 she was awarded a study grant at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, which allowed her to leave Israel and realize her need to affirm the meaning of her life as a woman, in a cosmopolitan existence open to art, history, and European/world politics.

Both during her stay in Paris and subsequently in Italy, where she went to live in 1987, Ronit always maintained her links to her native country, through unbroken communication with friends, artists and active intellectuals. A convinced pacifist, she denounced in a clear and courageous way the progressive Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and oppression and killing of Palestinians. She involved herself tirelessly in following thought with action, creating both intellectual and emotional links in order to aid communication and solidarity with the Palestinian people, as for instance in 2004 with the promotion of the ZEIT-U-ZA'TAAR Association, of which she was vice-president, working to unite Israeli and Palestinians living in Italy to find a just and peaceful solution. She was always alert to the problems of anti-semitism in both political and artistic circles.

Alongside her artistic activity Ronit showed an equal commitment and involvement in teaching and coaching children, young people and teachers, work amply documented in photographs and projects.

Her inner conflict between her exiled existence and the desire to work in her own land became more acute in what turned out to be her final years of life. She was very happy when in January 2011 she was able to exhibit in Tel Aviv, in the "Beit Haomanim Gallery" (The Artists House). She came back fired with enthusiasm for having re-established old contacts, for the success she had had, with renewed creative energy to take on new projects. First amongst these was the preparation of a retrospective of her work, exhibited first in Massa and then in Israel, with the aim of creating an international tour .

Instead, suddenly and rapidly, her impassioned and exciting journey through life came to an end. ^[1] Two months before, she discovered she was suffering from cancer.

Studies[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

1978 Graduated in "Art, design and education" at the Israeli Art college “Hamidrasha” , Tel aviv.

1999 Post graduating course in “ Intercultural relations” , at the Pedagogic Sciences department , Florence university.

Art[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

"Ronit Dovrat was moved by the passion for the aesthetical research, joy and communicative game, remaining consistent with her world of values and never yielding to the logics governing the art market. [...]^[2]

The many moods, feelings and values that can be seen in Dovrat’s works are really surprising; they are an expression of a vital experience that is shown in various ways: her eagerness for freedom and justice, her curiosity to know, her need to create affections and friendship nets, cultural exchanges, sharing joys and sorrows, projects and creativity. [...]

Strongly tied to the reality, her work excludes the simple mirroring to the reality, it seeks its meaning and vital essence, with the emotion and the though, together.

«I’m not interested in reproducing what is visible, because I think that reality is already strong. I’m not concerned, for instance, about drawing a landscape, as the landscape is so beautiful that there is no need for me to transform it. I work on the invisible.»^[3]

She looks into the invisible for making it pictorially visible. [...] "^[2]

Dovrat's production is wide and varied including: paintings, engravings, art installs, art performances, digital art, ceramics, sculptures, photography

Main topics[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

Political denunciation: most of Dovrat’s works recalls those sadness, anger and indignation moods that Israel politic provokes in her.

At "Ahad Ha'am 90, the 80’s^[4]" it is noted that in her first solo exhibition, 1982, following Israel’s assault on Lebanon, known as the First Lebanon War, Dovrat made a clear political statement - a courageous act at a time when most artists maintained silence, in contrast to the political art of the 70's and the cynical exploitation of politics in art in vogue today. [...] In Tuscany, where she lived, she has been invited twice to present works pertaining to the conflict and the Israeli occupation. An important work of hers was "Wall/Event" (curated by Rita Scrimieri and professor Paolo Riani), placed on display at the entrance to the municipality building of Massa Carrara in 2005. The artist erected a nine-meter long concrete wall divided by a swing. [...]^[5]

Identity: this theme goes through the Dovrat’s works in an individual dimension that seems to take its strength from the relationship with other identities, to become collective.

Individual’s social dimension: a fundamental value in the human life, this theme can be found combined with the 'maternity' or 'rebirth' , as well as in that of the 'couple' or 'home' as shapes and places of a relational living and doing in the individual microcosm.

Techniques[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

The pictorial modes are various and often coexist in the same work: the chromatic drawing is wide and warm, sometimes in an almost plastic, but also thin and light relief, and sometimes it is a simple veil that give rise to human figures which are sketched out by thin lines or scratched, almost body traces or essences; the use of "mixed techniques" – oil, acrylics, graphite, pastels – matches with the use of different support materials – paper, photographic paper, canvas, plywood, aluminium. [...] "^[2]

Personal Exhibitions[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

1980, Ehad Ha'am 90 gallery, Tel Aviv

1981, Ehad Ha'am 90 gallery, Tel Aviv

1982, Ehad Ha'am 90 gallery, Tel Aviv

1983, Radius gallery, Tel Aviv

1984, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris

1988, Pinta gallery, Genoa

1989, Crossing gallery, Eraclea

1989, Crossing gallery, Portogruaro

1992, Universal gallery, Castrovillari

1995, Studio Marzulli, Milan

1997, “Corpotemporaneo” curated by Omar Calabrese, L'Atelier gallery, Siena

1999, Pinta gallery, Milan

2003, Graffignano Castel, Viterbo

2005, “Evento/Muro - Wall/Event" Palazzo Ducale, Massa

2011, The Artists House “Beit HaOmanim” gallery, Tel Aviv

Collective Exhibitions[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

1978, “ The young artist’s Biennale”, Haifa Museum, Haifa

1978, Kibbutz gallery, Tel Aviv

1979, The Artists House, “Beit HaOmanim” gallery, Tel Aviv

1979, Salon of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv

1979, Haifa museum, Haifa

1980, Tzavta theater, Tel Aviv

1982, Ehad Ha'am 90 gallery, Tel Aviv

1984, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris

1984, “Young artists exhibition”, Grand Palais,

1985, Jerusalem theater, Jerusalem

1986, Atelier rue des Orteaux, Paris

1987, Historical Church, San Martino di Lupari, Padova

1988, Pinta gallery, Genoa

1988, Crossing gallery, Venice

1989, Crossing gallery, Portogruaro

1994, Consacro, Città di Castello

1995, Corte delle giare Ragazzona, Parma

1998, Pinta gallery, Milan

1999, En Plain Air, Pinerolo, Turin

2002, Bassano in Tiberino, Viterbo

2003, En Plain Air, Pinerolo, Turin

2003, “The outburst reality, Palazzo Ducale, Massa

2003, “The outburst reality, Prato city gallery, Prato  

2004 En Plain Air, Pinerolo

2004, “Corpi Viaggianti” , Aghiero gallery, Lavagna

2005, “Three cities against the wall”, Ramallah, Tel Aviv, New York

2007, Ein Plein Air, Pinerolo, Turin

2008, "Crossing borders", Cascina, Pisa

2008, “Emergenze 6”, La Spezia

2008, “Le visage qui s’efface” de Giacometti a Baselitz, Toulon

Teaching[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

Specialized in creativity, intercultural relations, counseling and Hebrew language, along her life Dovrat lead many courses for students, students with disabilities, teachers and foreign refugees.

Some of the major projects on which she took part:

1978 working with youth American groups – Jerusalem, Israel
80' Responsible for the Annual international congress of the Jewish and Hebrew teachers.
1995-6 teaching American students in a special program of the “Università per stranieri”, Siena.
1997 European projects for women “ NOW “ project, teaching how two develop creative projects and creative activities for children.
1998-2000 Pedagogic Sciences department Summer School, Florence university in collaboration with Berlin institute. Invited to give lessons about “the complicity of the Israeli society” and about “the influence of the conflict on education”.
1998-2015 creative workshops for students and teachers, P.I.A. project and "Dada artebambini" association.
1999-2010 part of the creativity experts staff at “the week for Mediterranean children”, Ostuni
2005 Wall/event with professor Paolo Riani, course for students on the "Separation Wall" subject. Construction Engineering - Architecture department, Pisa University.
1984 - 2011, hebrew and art teacher for the Jewish Communities of Paris, Venice, Florence and Rome.

Others projects[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

Teaching and practicing TAI KI KUNG (San Fung) for more than ten years under professor Dr. Ming Wong C.Y.

She realized artistic design furniture and graphic design for different commitments both in Israel, France and Italy.

She also worked as a bookbinder, decorating paper with the marbling technique.

She took part in many editorial projects, curating books and designing covers for many different books.

She was invited as a relator in many political debates about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She also wrote articles about the conflict for the Italian press.

References[modifica | modifica wikitesto]

^ "Haifa 1955 - Carrara 2011" text by Rita Scrimieri.
^ ^a ^b ^c "May 12^th, The creative breath of a life" text by Rita Scrimieri, 2012.
^ "The outbourst reality" Ronit Dovrat interviwed by Rita Scrimieri, 2003.
^ "Ahad Ha'am 90, the 80's", curated by Dalia Manor 2011.
^ "Longing and sadness in the Ronit Dovrat exhibition", Haaretz, Smadar Safi 2011