Avner Ben-Gal


Avner Ben-Gal is an international painter and artist, working mainly from Tel Aviv, Israel. His works depict various intense, often neglected locations such as agricultural fields, prisons and smoky interiors, whereby theatrical scenes play out. The scenes present ghostly, rough hewn and often low life figures that are bare and hardened. The parallel between Ben-Gal's raw way of painting and his tough, ambiguous subject matter allows a unique intensity within his paintings.
Avner Ben-Gal studied at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem. Ben-Gal was the subject of solo shows at museums such as the Tel-Aviv Museum of Art ; Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Basel, Switzerland ; and Sudden Poverty at the Aspen Art Museum, Colorado, United States ; and he has participated in various group shows, including DARK at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, and as part of the Venice Biennial, 2003. A number of books have been published on his work, notably a catalogue to accompany his 2008 show in Basel.
He is currently represented by Sadie Coles HQ London, Bortolami Gallery, New York, CFA Gallery, Berlin and by Tempo Rubato gallery, Tel-Aviv.

Education

1993
Cum Laude B.A. Fine Art, Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem

Prizes and awards

2001
Residency program at The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, New York, USA
1998
Minister of Education and Cultural Prize, Israel
1996
Kollner award for excellent young artists, Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem, Israel
1993 Mary Fischer award for excellent young artists, Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem, Israel

Selected solo exhibitions

2013
2012
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2002
2001
1999
1998
1997
1995
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2001
2000
1999
1998
1994