About Ben Yehuda
Of late, my Visionary ethnic symbolist paintings, enable me to enjoy lending expression to the realms of the imagination and fantasy. I believe one must compose, otherwise people will grow bored. Better to ‘ suggest ‘ than to ‘ describe ‘, so as to let the viewer see what he needs to. I am trying to look past what I see, realize my sensations, and in so doing, paint its flying Spirit ! In other words, have something to say – surprise myself!
Ben Yehuda’s Background
Born In Cairo, Egypt, 1949.
Settled in Israel, 1976 at Moshav Mevo Modiim.
Married: 1970, London England.
Children : seven.
Languages : French, English,Hebrew, Greek.
1969-71 Studies graphics at the London College of Printing.
1967. Studies frescoes under the tutelage of Krilius Veniades in Athens, Greece.
MURALS
1970-72 London, Paris and Athens, in company board rooms, restaurants, private homes, and children’s nurseries.
1985-91. Murals for Mevo Modiim synagogue.
DESIGN
1972-73. Television set designer for Australia ABC TV.
1973-77 Designer of “ Love is…” children’s posters, several million copies sold across Europe and as far as New Zealand.
1976 Discovers his Jewish identity ! ( Name at birth : Ion Valsamidis, father is Greek.)
1977-87 Art director and designer for all Morning Star health food products, Moshav Mevo Modiim, Israel.
EXHIBITIONS
1990-93 Foremost artist at the KRIEF Gallery, Jerusalem, along with Chagall, Agam, Castel, Egbi and Tarkay.
1993 Exhibits at Galeria a Hebraic, São Paulo, Brazil. Acclaimed as the “ principal exponent of New Age Hebraic Art.”
1994 Exhibits at Artexpo, New York.
1995. Goes solo, working one-on-one with private collectors, selling directly, or executing specific themes, from portraits to landscapes.
CONTINUING STUDIES
2003 Tel Aviv, the Aran Gershuni Studio.
What People Have to Say About Ben Yehuda
Mr. Ben Yehuda, with a directness and fluency which is quite characteristic of his Semitic ancestry, paints from the heart. He is in fact, a lyricist in paint and his pictures have their analogies in poetry. He sees in painting, not a means of interpreting the outer world, but a means of expressing the inner self. That is why he uses the essentials of visionary art, lyricism and symbolism.
– Rene Schwob