The themes of Ovadia Alkara's paintings are survival, defense, and the cruel struggle for existence of which only the strongest prevail. According to Alkara this is the basis of life, common to all living creatures. In his paintings the artist relates to man and animal, criss-crossing between them, creating analogies and mixing one with the other. Each painting represents a different aspect, such as: hunting, prey, murder, suicide, wrestling, cannibalism, chase, escape, and wandering. The works reveal a chaotic existence, devoid of order, logic or hope – a life ruled by blind impulse, and dominated by the laws of the jungle.

The artist draws his themes from reality, whether through his own direct experience or the secondary experience flooding through the media. In his expressive way, Alkara translates and interprets this reality and represents it through his poetic vision and experience, of the artist living in New York – a crowded metropolis where the frictions between man and his environment is especially acute. On another plane, the paintings might suggest the artist's innate insecurity, alienation and tension - life on the fringed of society, like an acrobat on a tight rope.

Dr. Irit Miller

OVADIA  ALKARA

Born in Israel. 1962-65   stays in Paris, studies painting.

Lives intermittently in Artist Village Ein Hod, Israel, New York and Düsseldorf.

Prizes:

1983  Acquisition Prize, Triennale of Graphic Art, Haifa Museum of Art.

1994  Ministry of Science and Arts Prize, Israel.

1987  Represented the Fine Arts, and lighting the torch on the Day of   Independence, mount Herzle, Jerusalem.

Selected One Person Exhibitions

1964                            Hagefen Gallery, Haifa, Israel

1965                           Art Gallery, Ein Hod

                                    Dov Gallery, New York

1966                           Sheskin Gallery, New York

                                    Israel Gallery, New York

1968    The American-Israel Cultural Foundation, New York

1970                            Caravan Gallery, New York

1971,1986                  Haifa Museum of Art

1972                            Old Jaffa Gallery, Jaffa

1974                            Goldman Gallery, Haifa

1975,1982,1993        Mabat Gallery, Tel Aviv

1978                            Engel Gallery, Jerusalem

                                    Ray Landis Gallery, New Jersey

1979,1994                  Wilfrid Israel Museum, Kibbutz Hazorea

1983,1988                  Galerie Edition A, Munich

1989                            Roland Angst Gallery, Munich

1990                            Yad Labanim Gallery, Tivon, Israel

1991                            The Lobby Gallery, Deutche Bank, New York

1993                            Herzlyia Museum, Israel

                                    Contraste Gallery, Düsseldorf

1994                           Yad Labanim Museum, Petach Tikva, Israel

1995                           Yad Labanim Museum, Raanana, Israel

1996                           Stealli Galerie, Cologne

Circulating Exhibition, Ministry of education and Culture, Israel

Ball House, Düsseldorf

1999-2000                  Henseleit Gallery, Dortmund

2005                            Felix Rengel, Düsseldorf

2007                            Maridian Gallery, New York

2009                            Sissman Gallery, Tel Aviv

Selected Group Exhibitions

1967    Migdal David Exhibition, Jerusalem

            Haifa Museum of Modern Art

            Helena Rubinstein Pavilion, Tel Aviv Museum

1969    Young Artists Around the World, Union Carbide Building, New York

1971    Haifa Museum of Modern Art

1971-72           Circulation Exhibition, Art Gallery of Ontario

1972    Art Fair, Zurich

1973    National Gallery, Ottawa

            Museum of St. Paul, Minnesota

            State Museum of New Jersey

            Associated American Artists, New York

            Art Fair, Dusseldorf

1973-74   Bochum Museum, Germany

1974    Thilla Waldinger Gallery, New York

1976    The Jewish Museum, New York

1977    Palm Spring Desert Museum, California

1978    Wash Art, Washington DC

            Pace University, New York

            Galerie de Bourg, Lausanne

            Prince Arthur Gallery, Toronto

1979    Israel Museum, Jerusalem

1980    New York Art Expo, New York

1983                            Triennale of Israeli Graphic Art, Haifa Museum

1987, 1998, 1999        Grosse Kunst Ausstellung, NRW, Dusseldorf

1988                            Haifa, A Portrait of a City, Haifa Museum

1990                            Mabat Gallery, Tel Aviv

1995                            Israel Museum, Jerusalem

1997                            Tel Aviv Museum of Art

                                    Bat Yam Museum, Israel

                                    Arad Museum, Israel

                                    Bar’am Museum, Kibbutz Bar’am

  1970s in Israeli Art, Tel Aviv Museum of Art

Collections

Works acquired by public and private collections, among them: Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Haifa Museum of Modern Art; Ministry of Education and Culture, Israel; The Hirshhorn Museum, Washington DC; Museum of St. Paul, Minnesota; Bochum Museum; Municipality of Düsseldorf; Israel Discount Bank, New York; Bank of Dallas, Dallas; Richfield Petrolium, Houston; America Wind Symphony, Pittsbourgh; Tapestry for Presidents Residency, Jerusalem, Tapestry for movie Lab, Henry Jaffe, New York.