About

“As elusive as it is, for me painting is about creating an overall system of subtle correspondences, which eventually acts as an allegory- creating 'something' that is physically independent, while simultaneously echoing a sensation that is just within our grasp. 

A color can provoke a memory or musical feeling, and the assembly of lines and paint can create space and depth of contemplation, both physical and mental. 

Using historical motifs that I can relate and identify with, make my own, allows me to confront the foundations of painting, the pillars- line, color harmonies, space, light etc, all while having a continuous understanding and investigation of my surrounding environment of the sea and its horizon.”


- Adam Leef

Photo: Yoav Arden

ADAM LEEF (b. 1989 Jerusalem, Israel) began his artistic studies at age 15. He studied with painters Aram Gershuni, Ran Tenenbaum, and Guy Avital, as well as at the art departments of Haifa University and Shenkar College of Art and Design for limited periods.

Early in his practice, Adam realized that the surrounding world and local environment could provide him with the essentials for the development of new harmonies and means of expression. Along with his studio practice, he began working continuously 'En Plein Air' in the landscape facing the Mediterranean, studying and embracing the unique light, colors, and physicality through different projects and series he has created for over a decade. This research allowed him to engage with the fundamental pillars of painting and reflect these perceptions onto his studio practice.

Subject matters that occupy Adam's work include landscapes, portraits, the relationship between the painter, his studio, and the landscape, bathers, and mythology. He is inspired by the broad history of the visual arts, and varied literary sources. Music also serves him as a significant source of inspiration in structure, movement within the painterly space, and the dynamics between the various elements within the work itself, corresponding and echoing one another while assembling a whole.

Adam works mostly on series on paper and individual paintings on linen/canvas. He has exhibited both solo and in group shows in Israel, Brazil, Italy, France, and England, collaborating with curators such as Prof. Micha Levin (former director and head curator of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art), Dr Ziva Jelin and Jenn Ellis. His works can be found in private collections in Israel, Europe, South America, and the United States.

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