Aaron April’s oil and acrylic paintings underwent a profound transformation following his emigration to Israel in 1972. While his earlier Soviet works included powerful realist pieces like “Execution” (1961), which bravely confronted the realities of the Soviet Gulag and established him as a courageous painter, his later “Israeli” period exploded with multicolored, energetic, and passionate canvases.
A central tenet of his artistic vision in Israel was his intense engagement with light, particularly the unique and often “cruel” light of Jerusalem. April famously declared his goal was to “win this contest with the light,” tirelessly striving to capture or embody this elusive illumination within his canvases. His palette from this era is described as vigorous and comprehensive, capable of conveying a “violence of color” where hues seemingly “fight each other or embrace each other,” utterly captivating the viewer.
April’s oil paintings are often multi-meaningful, multifaceted, and fantastical, actively inviting the viewer to discover layers of interpretation. His style frequently blends figurative and abstract elements, with images often emerging from seemingly chaotic or pulsating colorful strokes. A key concept in his later work is the use of “memory stains”—brush strokes that function as self-contained vessels of light and space, mirroring the fragmented nature of memory. He reinterpreted Symbolism, emphasizing that meaning arises from the interplay of these material “signifiers” rather than from pre-existing metaphysical ideas. His canvases also aimed to combine the static aspects of painting with dynamic movement, offering the viewer a unique sense of “being” within a flowing, concentrated moment in time. Biblical themes are notably prominent, viewed not merely as historical stories but as part of the “very fabric of today’s life” and deeply connected to ancestral memory in Jerusalem, which he considered his spiritual motherland.
Aaron April’s art transcends mere representation, inviting viewers into a rich world of allegory and symbolism. His paintings are celebrated for their profound, multifaceted nature, where colors and forms intertwine to create numerous elusive “faces” that encourage individual interpretation and even new titles from the observer. A defining characteristic of his work is its inherent sense of mystery and soul, actively engaging viewers and compelling them to “co-participate” in uncovering its intricate layers. Critics consistently describe his creations as a “chain of mysteries,” and April himself deliberately “leaves space for mystery, for enigma.”
Deeply influenced by the Symbolist movement, particularly Mikhail Vrubel, April reimagined these ideas. Rather than pointing to separate metaphysical entities, he focused on the interplay of the painting’s material elements – the signifiers – as the direct means to achieve meaning. In this framework, the material elements act as a catalyst for memory, and the accumulation of memory becomes the path to attaining consciousness, which he viewed as an “effect” arising from this very process. Consequently, his art can be experienced as a series of riddles or a complex tapestry that demands active participation from the viewer in constructing its meaning.
Within this rich symbolic language, April frequently brings the battle between good and evil to the forefront, often expressed through the dynamic interplay of color. His canvases are populated with strange, elusive images and figures – such as animals linked to childhood fears – that emerge organically from the vibrant layers of paint. His work also explores the universal concept of struggle or strife as an intrinsic aspect of change and becoming, potentially even embodying an erotic force. This depth of inquiry often lends his paintings a speculative nature, encouraging contemplation long after the initial viewing.
