SCULPTURES of SILVER / Liat Bar Stav, 2011
Sculptures of Silver / Liat Bar Stav. Photo: Dimitri Spector
Last chance to visit the "FOIL" exhibition and get to know the fascinating story of Miriam Houri-Gutholc
Miriam Houri-Gotholc, a sculptor and artist resident of Ramat Hasharon, was born in Tunis and immigrated to Israel alone at the age of ten, after the mother of a good friend of hers accused her of stealing one of her dolls. Her heavy fears of going to jail led her to the decision that she should run away from her parents' house, as far away as possible. When Miriam heard that a group of children from the "aliyah" youth movement in her hometown in Tunis was planning to immigrate to Israel, she thought this was her chance to escape the terror of imprisonment. Despite her parents' opposition, Miriam exerted constant pressure on them until they surrendered to her and allowed her to fulfill her wish, and she immigrated to Israel all alone.
Houri was exposed to art when she was 26 years old and decided to enroll at the Avni Institute in Tel Aviv, where she studied sculpture for four years. Since graduating, Miriam Houri has been teaching, and in 1985 she opened her own teaching studio in Ramat Hasharon.
Miriam Houri has presented eight solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions in Israel and abroad. She has placed four sculptures in various public places in Israel. She has won twice the "Sharett Foundation" grants for plastic arts.
This month, Houri opened an exhibition of sculptures and an installation called "FOILS", which is on display at the Sokolov House in Tel Aviv. In the exhibition, Houri presents about 30 works, of which about 20 are silver colored sculptures, some made of foil, some casted in bronze and aluminum, and about ten sculptures that combine wood and stone that creates new life out of still life. In addition, Houri presents an installation of foil figures, which draws its inspiration from a yellow flower field photograph she encountered one day.
"FOILS" Exhibition by Miriam Houri Gutholc, Sokolov House, Kaplan 4, Tel Aviv, until 28.2