Projects and Inspirations O F R A F R I E D L A N D
Ofra Friedland Ofra Friedland is among Israel s more significant contemporary artists. Described as a lyricist in color, her art is rooted in Jewish tradition and Eretz Yisrael, with Jerusalem, where she lives and works, her constant inspiration. The walls of its Old City are visible from her studio, and its unique light is a recurring motif of her work. Friedland s roots go back to Jaffa, where she was born in 1959 to European immigrants, to the young State of Israel. Her surroundings and her heritage the Bible, Jewish history and literature, Israeli life, landscapes and the people within them thrill her and inform her art. Nature, people, faith, and land, the past, the future, and their integration are her creative themes and her inspirational wellspring. Working in different media (oils, fresco, sculpture, ceramics, tapestry, stained glass, and more), it was for an oil painting that Friedland first received recognition. Over the years, she has produced several series in oils inspired by Biblical themes, and is best known for her stirring Five Books of Moses, now recreated in the KJ/RAMAZ five glorious stained glass windows. Prolific and industrious, Friedland has mastered numerous materials and techniques to display her artistic vision. This has made her a popular designer of complete environments, from paintings to sculpture to rugs and more, for religious, commercial, and private spaces, both inside Israel and out. It is oils, however, that remains her most intuitive medium, and the one in which she most profoundly explores her passions: Israel and the past, present, and future, interweaving everyday reality with mighty concepts, threaded with the evolving human experience, washed in the special radiance of Jerusalem.
Projects WORKS ON PERMANENT DISPLAY» KJ / Ramaz., Manhattan, New York. Stained glass windows, 2017» Jerusalem Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Paintings and stained glass, 2012» Lido Beach Synagogue, Congregation Etz Chaim; Long island, 2006» Aqualina Hotel and Resort N.Miami beach, FL., oil Paintings, 2004» Peabody Place Museum; Memphis, TN. Paintings, Woodwork and silver work, 2002-2010» ArK at the Dallas TX. Sepharadic Center, Wood works and silverworks, 2001» Belz Enterprises Corporate Headquarters; Memphis, TN. Paintings, 2001» Assaf Harofe Medical Center EMR loby, Oil paintings, 2000» White Hall; Or-Yehuda, Israel. Murals, bronze reliefs, wood artwork, 2000» Bank Tefachot Ltd. Executive Offices; Tel- Aviv. Paintings, ceramics, 2000» Hasharon Banquet Hall; Kfar- Saba, Israel. Murals, ceramics, 1999-2001» Bank Adanim Corporate Head Quarters; Tel-Aviv. Paintings, tapestries, 1999» Ramat Gan Diamond Center Corporate offices, Bronze sculptures and oil paintings, 1998» Bank Adanim Ltd. Jerusalem, Israel. Paintings, tapestries, 1999» Halperin Management services Ltd; Tel-Aviv, Israel, Excutive offices, Bronze sculptures and Oil Paintings, 1997-2004» Bank Hapoalim Ltd. Headquarters; Tel-Aviv. Paintings, 1997» Dan Pearl Hotel; Jerusalem, Israel. Paintings, ceramics, and bronze sculpture, 1996» Peabody Place Tower; Memphis, TN. Paintings, 1996» Baron Hirsch Synagogue; Memphis, TN. Paintings, 1995» Grand Lobby Historic Building; Memphis, TN. Paintings, 1995» Rav Kaduri Synagogue; Jerusalem, Israel. Stained glass windows, 1994 ENVIRONMENT DESIGNS» HALB Academy, Woodmere, NY. Bronze sculpture, stained glass windows, woodwork, murals, 2004» Aish Kodesh Synagogue; Woodmere, NY. Murals, ceramics, paintings, bronze sculpture, stained glass windows, Tapestries, woodwork and stone artwork. 2002-2004» Olive Tree Hotel; Jerusalem, Israel. Painting, bronze, and wood artwork, Tapestries, 2000» Hilton Hotel; Tel- Aviv. Paintings, complete environment, 2000» Park Plaza Hotel; Antwerp, Belgium. Painting, bronze sculpture, and ceramics, 1998 SOLO EXHIBITIONS» Friends of IDF, Waldorf Astoria Hotel, 2007» Donator acknowledgment pin, Friends of Israel Defence forces, Miami Chapter at the Fountainbleu hotel, 2005» Jewish Museum; Memphis, TN., 2005» American Friends of Bar-Ilan University; Miami, FL, 2005» Jewish Community Center; Riverdale, NY., 2004» Wizo South Florida Chapter; Miami Beach, FL., 2002-2004» Mar A Lago Resort; (Shaarei Zedek Benefit) Palm Beach, FL., 2001» J. Richards Gallery; Englewood, N.J., 2001» Beth Shalom Conservative Center; Pittsburg, PA., 1999» Hebraica Jewish Center; San Paolo, Brazil., 1995 COMMUNITY SERVICES (Creative art works with childrens and families)» Shaarei Tzedek, Oncology Department, Jerusalem, Israel, 1992-1996» Schneider Children Hospital, Petach Tikvah, Israel. 1993-1995» Oranit Guest House for children with cancer, Petach Tikvah, Israel. 1991-1994
KJ RAMAZ N.Y. Stained glass windows 2015-2018 Waldorf Astoria Hotel Jerusalem, Israel Paintings and stained glass windows 2012 Ark Cover, Etz Chaim Long island Embroidery, Textile design 2006 Aqualina Hotel and Resort N.Miami beach, FL Oil Paintings 2004 Aish Kodesh Synagogue; Woodmere, NY. Murals, ceramics, paintings, bronze sculpture, stained glass windows, Tapestries, woodwork and stone artwork 2002-2004 Halperin Management Services Ltd,Tel-Aviv Israel, Excutive offices. Bronze sculptures and oil paintings 1997-2004 Ark at the Dallas TX. Sepharadic Center Wood works and silverworks 2001 Belz Enterprises Corporate Headquarters Memphis, TN. Paintings 2001 Hasharon Banquet Hall Kfar- Saba; Israel Murals, ceramics 1999-2001 Bank Tefachot Ltd. Executive Offices Tel- Aviv Paintings, ceramics 2000 Olive Tree Hotel Jerusalem, Israel Painting, bronze, and wood artwork, Tapestries 2000 White Hall Or-Yehuda; Israel Murals, bronze reliefs, wood artwork 2000 Bank Adanim Ltd. Jerusalem, Israel Paintings, tapestries 1999 Bank Adanim Corporate Head Quarters Tel-Aviv Paintings, tapestries 1999 Park Plaza Hotel Antwerp, Belgium Painting, bronze sculpture, and ceramics 1998 Peabody Place Tower Memphis, TN Paintings 1996 Dan Pearl Hotel Jerusalem, Israel Paintings, ceramics, and bronze sculpture 1996 Bank Hapoalim Ltd. Headquarters Tel- Aviv. Paintings 1996 Grand Lobby Historic Building Memphis, TN. Paintings 1995 Baron Hirsch Synagogue Memphis, TN. Paintings 1995 Rav Kaduri Synagogue Jerusalem, Israel Stained glass windows 1994
Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Jerusalem, Israel Paintings and Stained Glass window
JCT Lev Academic Center THE GARDEN OF PSALMS Stained Glass Windows In Progress A monumental artwork, created to eternalize the shared values represented by JCT s vision. An abstraction of psalms in light and color. Reflecting the long time study of Torah on how we live and act, professionally and privately, toward G-d, society and ourselves.
JCT Lev Academic Center THE GARDEN OF PSALMS Stained Glass Windows In Progress A monumental artwork, created to eternalize the shared values represented by JCT s vision. An abstraction of psalms in light and color. Reflecting the long time study of Torah on how we live and act, professionally and privately, toward G-d, society and ourselves.
THE GARDEN OF PSALMS Stained Glass Windows garden in proggress JCT Lev Academic Center A monumental artwork, created to eternalize the shared values represented by JCT s vision. An abstraction of psalms in light and color. Reflecting the long time study of Torah on how we live and act, professionally and privately, toward G-d, societyand ourselves. THE ARTISTIC VISION The stained glass panels of this epic artwork will depict the Book of Psalms in an abstraction of figures and themes. The ever-changing light filtering through the colored glass will create a unique environment within the Garden, reflecting the constantly shifting changes outside and the ongoing flow of hours, days and seasons. This interplay of glass, light and color will combine to form the invisible line that separates us from the infinite. It will create a spiritual dimension that sheds light on earthly existence evoking a sense of spirituality and perception of Divine wisdom, sharpening our awareness of a higher world, and awakening us to our role within it. WHY THE BOOK OF PSALMS? To the artist within me, reading the Psalms is a way of connecting yearning and action with prayer of voicing a connection with G-d - Ofra Friedland The ancient Jewish poetry of the Psalms expresses the range of human emotions in essence, the whole of earthly experience. Passed down from generation to generation in both Eretz Israel and the Diaspora, the 150 psalms of the Jewish tradition express the Jewish spirit and collective memory of both the individual and of the Jewish nation. From the artist s perspective, the Book of Psalms describes the shared and perpetual Jewish vision: the aspiration of that vision towards spiritual transcendence along with its worldly expression of how we live and act, professionally and privately, towards G-d, society and mankind. The many who will be drawn to the Garden of Psalms will find themselves in a place embracing this aspiration a place which eternalizes the unified Jewish vision within Jerusalem.
Aish Kodesh Synagogue Woodmere, NY, 2002-2004 Paintings, Stained Glass windows, Aron Kodesh design, Fresco wall Paintings, Donors Wall, Parochot
Olive Tree Hotel Jerusalem, 2007 Olive Tree Hotel Jerusalem, Israel 2000
Lido Beach Synagogue Long Island, 2006 Bronze scalpture, Parochot
Baron Hirsch Synagogue Memphis, TN. 1995
Grand Lobby Historic Building Memphis, TN., 2000
Belz Enterprises Corporate Headquarters Memphis, TN., 2001
Olbany, Synagouge Wall art plates, in progress
7 6 5 4 3 2 1 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 כ י ה' א לקי ך, מ ב יא ך א ל-א ר ץ ט וב ה: א ר ץ, נ ח ל י מ י ם-ע י נ ת ות ה מ ת, י צ א ים ב ב ק ע ה וב ה ר. א ר ץ ח ט ה ו ש ע ר ה, ו ג פ ן ות א נ ה ו ר מ ון; א ר ץ-ז ית ש מ ן, וד ב ש. )דברים ח' ז',ח'( כ י ה' א לקי ך, מ ב יא ך א ל-א ר ץ ט וב ה: א ר ץ, נ ח ל י מ י ם-ע י נ ת ות ה מ ת, י צ א ים ב ב ק ע ה וב ה ר. א ר ץ ח ט ה ו ש ע ר ה, ו ג פ ן ות א נ ה ו ר מ ון; א ר ץ-ז ית ש מ ן, וד ב ש. )דברים ח' ז',ח'( כ י ה' א לקי ך, מ ב יא ך א ל-א ר ץ ט וב ה: א ר ץ, נ ח ל י מ י ם-ע י נ ת ות ה מ ת, י צ א ים ב ב ק ע ה וב ה ר. א ר ץ ח ט ה ו ש ע ר ה, ו ג פ ן ות א נ ה ו ר מ ון; א ר ץ-ז ית ש מ ן, וד ב ש. )דברים ח' ז',ח'( כ י ה' א לקי ך, מ ב יא ך א ל-א ר ץ ט וב ה: א ר ץ, נ ח ל י מ י ם-ע י נ ת ות ה מ ת, י צ א ים ב ב ק ע ה וב ה ר. א ר ץ ח ט ה ו ש ע ר ה, ו ג פ ן ות א נ ה ו ר מ ון; א ר ץ-ז ית ש מ ן, וד ב ש. )דברים ח' ז',ח'( י פ ה נ וף מ ש ו ש תּ ב ל ק ר י ה ל מ ל ך ר ב ל ך נ כ ס פ ה נ פ ש י מ פּ א ת י מ ע ר ב )רבי יהודה הלוי( ו ה י ה ב א ח ר ית ה י מ ים, נ כ ון י ה י ה ה ר ב ית-ה' ב ר א ש ה ה ר ים, ו נ ש א, מ ג ב ע ות; )ישעיהו ב'-ב'( ה ש ק ד י ה פּ ור ח ת, ו ש מ ש פּ ז ז ור ח ת... ט ו ב ש ב ט ה ג יע ח ג ה א יל נ ות ה א ר ץ מ ש ו ע ת: ה ג יע ה ע ת ל ט ע ת )שיר עממי, מילים: כ י ל ק ח טוב נ ת תּ י ל כ ם - תּור ת י א ל תּ ע זב ו. ע ץ ח י ים ה יא ל מ ח ז יק ים ב ה ו תמ כ יה מ א ש ר )משלי ד; משלי ג( It is a tree of life for those who cling to it, and happy are those who hold fast to it. (Proverbs 3:18) ו ל יר וש ל י ם ע יר ך ב ר ח מ ים תּ ש וב, ו ת ש כ ון ב ת וכ ה כ א ש ר דּ ב ר תּ, וב נ ה א ות ה ב ק ר וב ב י מ ינ ו ב נ י ן ע ול ם, ו כ סּ א ד ו ד ע ב דּ ך מ ה ר ה ל ת וכ ה תּ כ ין. )מתוך תפילת ה'עמידה'( And to Jerusalem your city, may you return in compassion. May you dwell in Jerusalem as you have spoken. And may You rebuild it soon in our days as an eternal structure and speedily establish in it the throne of David. (from Shmoneh Esreh morning prayer) א ע ב ר ה- נ א, ו א ר א ה א ת-ה א ר ץ ה ט וב ה, א ש ר, ב ע ב ר ה י ר דּ ן: ה ה ר ה ט וב ה ז ה, ו ה ל ב נ ן. )דברים ג' כה'( 5 6 7 Beautiful heights, joy of the whole world, city of a great King. My soul yearns for you from the farthest ends of the West. (R. Yehuda Halevi, "Jerusalem") And it shall come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills (Isa. 2:2) 1 2 3 For the LORD thy God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey. (Deut.8:7-8) For the LORD thy God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey. (Deut.8:7-8) 5 6 For the LORD thy God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey. (Deut.8:7-8) For the LORD thy God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey. (Deut.8:7-8) 1 2 Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly hill-country, and Lebanon. (Deut. 3:25) כ י ה' א לקי ך, מ ב יא ך א ל-א ר ץ ט וב ה: א ר ץ, נ ח ל י מ י ם-ע י נ ת ות ה מ ת, י צ א ים ב ב ק ע ה וב ה ר. א ר ץ ח ט ה ו ש ע ר ה, ו ג פ ן ו ת א נ ה ו ר מ ון; א ר ץ-ז ית ש מ ן, וד ב ש. )דברים ח' ז',ח'( כ י ה' א לקי ך, מ ב יא ך א ל-א ר ץ ט וב ה: א ר ץ, נ ח ל י מ י ם-ע י נ ת ות ה מ ת, י צ א ים ב ב ק ע ה וב ה ר. א ר ץ ח ט ה ו ש ע ר ה, ו ג פ ן ות א נ ה ו ר מ ון; א ר ץ-ז ית ש מ ן, ו ד ב ש. )דברים ח' ז',ח'( ישראל דושמן( The almond tree is blooming, and the golden sun is shining... Tu bishvat has arrived, The festival of trees. The land is calling out; The time of planting has arrived. (Folk song, lyrics: Yisrael Dushman) ב נ י ך, כ ש ת ל י ז ית ים ס ב יב ל ש ל ח נ ך )תהילים קכ"ח, ג( נקראו ישראל זית רענן - שהם מאירים לכל )שמות רבה ל"ז( Your children shall be like olive plants, round about thy 4 For the LORD thy God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey. (Deut.8:7-8) 7 For the LORD thy God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey. (Deut.8:7-8) 3 table.(psalms 128:3) The people of Israel were called a leafy olive tree because they bring light to the world. (Shemot Raba 37) כ י ה' א לקי ך, מ ב יא ך א ל-א ר ץ ט וב ה: א ר ץ, נ ח ל י מ י ם-ע י נ ת ות ה מ ת, י צ א ים ב ב ק ע ה וב ה ר. א ר ץ ח ט ה ו ש ע ר ה, ו ג פ ן ו ת א נ ה ו ר מ ון; א ר ץ-ז ית ש מ ן, וד ב ש. )דברים ח' ז',ח'( 4 For the LORD thy God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey. (Deut.8:7-8)
BRONZE WALL TAPESTRY CLAY AND WOOD HAND-EMBROIDERED GOLD LEAF CERAMICS STAINED GLASS AND METAL
OIL PAINTING EMBROIDERY, GOLD THREADS COPPER AND STEEL TEMPRA ON CANVAS CLAY AND STONE WOOD AND SILVER SCULPTURE CLAY
OFRA FRIEDLAND Tel. +972-77-4665091 Cell. +972-52-6588303 Email: ofrafriedland@gmail.com www.ofrafriedland.com