RETROSPECTIVE OF AHARON APRIL IN THE STATE TRETYAROV GALLERY

Yougraph Konchin Culture Newspaper

The exhibition of paintings and watercolors of Aharon April, opened in the State Tretyakov Gallery on Krymsky Val, is by no means uniform. It should be divided in two different, even opposite parts – the “soviet” and “Israeli”. The same may be done with the artist’s biography – up to his emigration in 1972 and after it. His life took a sharp turn, as well ass his creative works. But he is used to sudden turns.

the “leader” 2001

Aharon April was born in1932 in Lithuania in the town of Vilkavishkis. He spent his childhood . Aharon always mentions it in every biographical reference. Though the geographic proximity to the great Russian landscape painter had no influence on April’s works.
In June 1941 his family was deported at first to Altay area, and then beyond the Polar Cirkie to the settlement on the river Lana, and this probably saved Aharon April from death during the fascist occupation.

The future artist finished secondary school in Jakutsk, studied in the art School “1905”, and finished the Surikov Art Academy – both in Moscow. Although between two metropolitan “universities”- the second deportation to Jakutia has happened, it was just on the eve of the “Doctors Plot”, in 1951.
From the point of view of time and especially of the obligatory official subjects, the early Aharon April may be attributed to “shestidesiatniks”. These are traditional “In the new lands”, “A tractor driver having a meal” or “Fishermen of Narym”, though the painting “Execution” of 1961 presented still “forbidden” at that time side of Soviet “Gulag” reality and had a great effect. Just this work marked Aharon April as one of interesting and promising, courageous painters. Today this painting is exhibited at the Museum of Arts in Yad Vashem, Jerusalem.

Execution 1961

In 1972 Aharon April emigrated to Israel. There he made both fast official career and career as a painter. He was elected the chairmen of the Painters and Sculptors Association, he is a member of various charity organizations, including international. He taught painting and drawing in Universities of Israel, worked in Paris. He paint a lot, participates in personal exhibitions in Israel, Canada, France, Switzerland, USA. In Russia at present Aharon April is entirely included into modern art.
In 2002 his exhibition was held in the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, in 2005 he is elected Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts.
The present retrospective of works at the State Tretyakov Gallery may be also Regarded as a sign of attention and respect.

The exhibition presents about a hundred works, painted over the last 50 years. A part of them was painted still in the Soviet Union, but most in Israel. These two uneven halves are absolutely incompatible, alien to each other, contrary from the point of view of style, but mainly by reception of the world. Earlier – in Siberia, Jakutia, in Moscow – there was one painter, and now – an absolutely different, foreign, definitely not attached to the soviet time, alien to him now and incapable even to raise nostalgic memories. Let bygones, be bygones and Aharon April must have had to start in 1972 from zero. Both – his life and his creative work. Though he took with him the good professional Surikov school.

Aharon April of today amazes by his multicoloured, energetic, passionate paintings. Vigorous ,comprehensive palette, colours fighting each other or embracing each other capture spectators, making them wonder, rejoice, feel deeply.
What are the subjects of his works? At first sight it is fairly difficult to define them. Some of them, according to the names, must be biblical, some worldly. But what is the difference of the “Song of Songs” series or “Lot and his daughters”, or “A psalm is born”, from “The prayer”, “Awakening”, “After the masquerade”, A black horse” ,Something about Grandfathers”, “Uneasy days”? All these works, both watercolours and paintings may be regarded as one painting “Unconscious reality”, futuristic abstraction (1994).

The essence of April’s works is rather violence of colour and its perception in connection with the world, the universe, the human being, than some real, slighty caught things and images. April’s paintings are so multimeaningful, multifaced and fantastic that they though they correspond to the name given them by the artist, you yourself could give it ten or twenty other names according to your own feelings. We find quite realistic or relatively realistic works with understandable plot, such as “The family”, “Eve of Sabbath. Congregating at the Wailing Wall”, “Expecting the heir”, “A house in Jerusalem”, “Flowers against the white”, portraits of relatives, landscapes of Israel… But here we also see fantastic palette, expression, passion and the sense, found by the painter, wildness of colours, tornado, and the artist finds himself his world, his purpose in the reach colours.

Congregating at the Wailing Wall 1978

Aharon April himself explains his colour obsessions:”In Jerusalem the light is unique – sometimes even cruel. It actively interferes with painting… Here, in Jerusalem happens that light kills the colours., it sometimes doesn’t allow to perceive reality. My goal was to win this contest with the light”
To tell the truth, I’m not sure that the painter conquered this “unique Jerusalem light”, Because he himself is that light This light is within himself it’s the essence, the destiny, the vocation, the meaning of his art. And victory over such light is impossible. Do we really need it?!

I know Aharon April for about forty years. I deeply admire his present work, his strong character his courage, the ability to overcome himself. I was happy to meet him again.