A Jew is in constant dialogue (sometimes argument) with the divine. The Talmud[1] defines man in spiritual terms for God to have conversation with. It defines man as being made up of 248 limbs in a human body.

 

In my paintings each component group of limbs is ‘tattooed symbolically’ with the Hebrew letter defining the numerology[2] of the number of limbs contained within.

My symbolic tattooing of the Hebrew letters onto the body parts is in direct and most obvious reference and contradiction to the dehumanising tattooing by the Nazis of the inmates in concentration camps.

 

I AM HERE is a spiritually optimistic work looking through the lens of Judaism at the human capacity to perceive the spark of Godliness in each of us.

Victor Majzner 2015 ©

 

 

BIOGRAPHY 

 

Since 1971 Victor Majzner held over 50 solo exhibitions in Australia and

New Zealand.

 

•Since 1968 Majzner participated in numerous major group exhibitions in

Australia, Italy, USA, England and New Zealand.

 

•In 1986 Majzner was one of three artists whose watercolours were

surveyed in an exhibition titled Colour and Transparency at the National

Gallery of Victoria.

 

•In 1993 a major exhibition of Majzner’s very large paintings, titled Towards

Identity was staged by Monash University Gallery.

 

•In 1993 in collaboration with his son Andrew Majzner they published and

launched The Australian Haggadah at the Jewish Museum of Australia.

 

•In 1997 the first comprehensive survey of Majzner’s watercolours titled

Illuminations was staged by Albury Regional Art Centre, NSW.

 

•In 2002, a major publication titled Earth to Sky, The art of Victor Majzner

was published by MacMillan. Leigh Astbury wrote the predominant text

and Dr, Rabbi Shimon Cowen contributed an essay about Majzner’s

religious works to date.

 

•In 2004 Majzner was invited to stagea major exhibition dealing with the

1938 proposal to establish a Jewish Settlement in Western Australia

titled Wounded –Land, Memory, Destiny at Glen Eira City Art Gallery in

Melbourne.

 

•In February 2008 Majzner held an exhibition titled: Galil/Golan(northern

Israel). This exhibition was the completion of the Israel Series of works

that Majzner begun with the Negev series first exhibited in 1999.

 

•In July 2008 Majzner launched his long awaited Painting the

Torah exhibition and accompanying limited edition (750) book of the same title.

This project comprises of paintings depicting all of the 54 parshot of the

Torah. This is a historic first: for the first time in the history of art has the

Torah been painted so comprehensively and for the first time from a

Jewish perspective.

 

•In May 2012 Majzner has launched a collaborative exhibition and publication with the renown poet Deborah Masel Painting the Song, a journey through the Song of Songs.

 

Majzner’s work is represented in most National, State, Regional, University and

Corporate collections in Australia. His work is also represented in private collections in Australia, New Zealand, USA, England, France, Italy and Israel.

 

 

 

[1] Mishnah Oholos, Chapter 1, Mishnah 8.

 

[2] Gematria: numerical value related to each letter of the Hebrew alphabet