Bidspirit auction | Yigal Tumarkin (1933–2021)

Yigal Tumarkin (1933–2021) - The Memory Pyramid. 55.9×38.1 cm Mixed media, oil and iron on board Signed in the lower right corner: I. Tumarkin A powerful and layered work by Yigal Tumarkin, one of the most important and influential artists in modern Israeli art. The work combines painting, relief and assemblage with a rich materiality typical of Tumarkin's unique language. At the center of the composition appears a triangular pyramid-like shape, built from layers of metal, engravings, signs and industrial elements, which create a sense of visual archaeology and accumulated memory. The rough textures, the tones of bronze and iron, and the contrast with the deep black stain in the background give the work dramatic power and an extraordinary sculptural presence. Here, Tumarkin blurs the boundaries between painting and sculpture, and builds a symbolic world loaded with historical, cultural and personal allusions. The elements incorporated into the work seem like relics, signs or testimonies from the past, inviting the viewer to an open and multi-layered interpretation. About the Artist Yigael Tumarkin was born in Germany in 1933 and immigrated to Israel as a child. He is considered one of the pioneers of conceptual art and assemblage in Israel, and in 2004 he won the **Israel Prize** for Art. Throughout a career that has spanned more than six decades, he has created monumental sculptures, paintings and mixed media works, and has exhibited in major exhibitions in Israel and around the world. His work is characterized by the combination of industrial materials, iron, scrap metal and objects from everyday reality, while dealing with memory, history, identity and the place of man in society. His works are in important public and private collections and are considered milestones in the development of Israeli art. This work clearly demonstrates Tumarkin's power to transform raw material into a rich, charged visual language And thought-provoking – an impressive example of his work during the ripe period of his creation.