ESRA at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art
Art Lecture Series 'On Art and Artists' for 2011/2012

Mondays 10:00 - 12:30

All lectures are accompanied by visits to new exhibitions and galleries.

21.11.11	All the Colors of the Rainbow: Understanding Color and its Meaning in Art  What does color mean to us? How do we interpret it in art? Do different color schemes hold different meanings? This lecture will try to answer these questions and more, while relying on masterpieces from throughout all periods. We will see how different artists from opposite plaices in the world and different time frames use colors in the same way, we will explore the symbolic and emotional meaning of color,  we will see what effect light and dark have on us and we will try to understand just how important color is to our art and life.
12.12.11	Michelangelo Merisi de Caravaggio: the Birth of Baroque  Caravaggio was one of the most important and prominent artists in Italy through in the 17th century. During his short life Caravaggio worked in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily. He worked for cardinals and popes and won grate praise and recognition. Caravaggio is considered the sole artist who represents Baroque art in its prime. His unique artistic language will be the main topic in this lecture: from his painting the saints as mortals, his use of intimate points of views and his love for all that is theatrical in the painted scene. Caravaggio, who in the 18th c. was named as 'destroyer of art' is today considered to be one of the most important and interesting figures in art history, and his work continues to influence artists today.
23.01.12	The Myth of Beauty: A Big Lie? What is beauty? Who is the prettiest woman in the world? Are the criteria for beauty universal or dependant on time, place and culture? In this course we will discuss aesthetics throughout time, continents and cultures. We will start with Egyptian Nefertiti, on to Greek and Roman Venus, medieval Theodora from Ravenna, Renaissance Mona Lisa and end with Marline Monroe and Angelina Jolie: modern and contemporary ideals of beauty.
13.2.12	What is Israeli in Israeli Art? Israeli art has only been around for half a century and already it is recognized widely throughout the world as initiative, interesting and important. In this lecture we will examine the main themes in Israeli art: from depicting soldiers to painting Arabs, from examining religion to understanding the Israeli landscapes in Jerusalem as opposed to Tel Aviv, this lecture will introduce us to the main issues which concern the artists here. In chronological order we will dive into the depth of Israeli art in order to try and understand something about our culture and way of thinking.
23.4.12	Spanish Art: From Dali to Gaudi and Beyond  This lecture focuses on modern Spanish art, from 18th C. Spain up to today. From Francisco Goya and his horrors and nightmares we will progress to well known artists such as Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. During the lecture we will visit monuments by widely acclaimed architect Antonio Gaudi and get to know Barcelona and its beauty. The lecture will include contemporary artists such as Tapies, Saura and more, in order to map the field of modern Spanish art. To end this lecture, we will tour around the main cities in Spain and get acquainted with the blooming street art so prominent there today.
28.5.12	Museums and Art Collections: from Ancient times to the Present A journey through time beginning at the library in Alexandria, c. 300 B.C., today acknowledged as the first museum in history. This journey will take us to the Curiosity Rooms of the European emperors in the 15th – 17th c., we will visit civilian museums and we will reach the 20th c. with the opening of the 'mega-museums', the museum chains and the escape of artists to alternative showrooms such as hangars, train stations and even restrooms…

Cost for the series: NIS 360; ESRA members NIS 300 (may be paid in 2 instalments)

Cost per lecture (if space permits): NIS 70; ESRA members NIS 60

Pre-paid reservations only! Call ESRA Raanana 09-748 2957

Location: Tel Aviv Museum of Art, 27, Shaul Hamelech Blvd., Tel Aviv (short walk from Arlosoroff Railway Station)