Art Source Top Picks: with Curator Iris Barak

 

Iris Barak is the curator of the Dubi Shiff Art Collection, one of the leading private art collections in Israel. The collection is known for its focus of contemporary figurative-realist artists. In addition to this key role, Barak also serves as the curator of NYX hotels brand, by the Fattal group, scattered around Europe and Israel, where she focuses on site-specific artworks in each hotel, collaborating with local curators and artists in each city!

 

Guy Zagursky, Working Class Hero, 2020

Guy Zagursky‘s works are a combination of the highest qualities of aesthetic, handmade crafts, and embodiment of simple yet elegant notions. His unique ability to combine surprising materials results in artworks that are one of a kind in their visibility and presence. I chose to feature Guy’s work, since Covid-19 affected several of my projects, which included an installation by Guy that I’m hoping to resume working on as soon as possible.

 

Moran Kliger, Gray Wolf, 2011

I’m fortunate to know Moran Kliger from the early beginning of her career. Throughout her bodies of work, created in different techniques of drawing and etching, she established her identifying line, dealing with both intimate and collective themes. I chose the piece Grey Wolf, from 2011. For me it manifests Kliger’s impressive approach, somehow subtle and overwhelming at once, with which she deals with themes of femininity. We acquired several works by Kliger for the Dubi Shiff Art Collection, this shows both great confidence in Kliger as an artist, and also highlights the medium of drawing; within it in recent years, many great female artists are emerging.

 

Anna Mirkin, Not Alone, 2020

I chose to highlight Anna Mirkin‘s work from her latest series, in which she focuses on the lonely plastic chair due to its relevance to this current period of time. It feels like a visual description of our life lately. Anna has the ability to create a very casual representation of a feeling, that is universal but also very personal. I got to work with Anna on a site-specific installation for NYX Herzliya Hotel and the process allowed me to experience her magnificent aesthetic qualities up close.

 

Karam Natour, Illusions of trust, 2016

I first saw Karam Natour‘s work when he participated in the Bezalel BFA graduate show, and he is definitely an interesting voice in the field today. His initial aesthetic caught my eye with it’s pure, simple and very clean look, yet it’s impact is intense. Karam’s notions on masculinity, it’s different attributes and characters and the surfacing of cultural mixture, evolve in his works and continue to be relevant and accurate. The artwork’s Illusions of trust is based on the canonic performance piece Rest Energy by Marina Abramović and ULAY. Karam manages to shift its core balance and to loosen its tension.

 

*Photo of Iris Barak by Yarden Rokach

 

 

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