Adi Gal

Tel Aviv, Israel

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How would you describe your work?

My work is a synergy between painting and architecture. I believe these two fields form an infinitive circle: We live in a 3d world. The process of abstraction in painting reduces it to 2d lines and color. Then architecture uses these lines, once again, to create new colorful spaces.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by space: deep space, multi-layered space, and particularly movement in space. I am also inspired by colors, especially those in nature. However, I usually don’t paint landscapes since it is so beautiful as it is.

Can you speak about your process?

Usually, my paintings are made with 4 layers: the first layer is plane, colorful underpainting. Then I construct the scene with rough stains. After that, I usually feel I don’t know what I’m doing, so I just paint without thinking, and in the last layer, I observe the painting, emphasize the light, or make small adjustments that seem important for the composition. Some marks remain from every layer, I like to expose the craft behind the painting and leave frayed edges.

For the construction sites series, I visit construction sites as a part of my work as an architect. I take photos. Most of them are simple photos, following the construction process. But then I suddenly notice a scene, a beautiful theatrical composition, usually including the construction workers and the unfinished, wide-open space. So I take a picture and later use it in the studio to create the painting. In one of the projects, I made the painting blue and then chose the same color for the real building’s lobby.

How did you become interested in art?

My family was always very creative and as a child I liked crafts - ceramic, sewing, needlework, drawing, all kinds of building (paper maquettes, puppet stage backgrounds, strange outdoor tents, “sukkah” in my garden). At the age of eighteen, I took a course in electronics. It was awful... I realized that I must do something creative, otherwise life could be miserable. This led me to study architecture. The academy was an art school, so I had the opportunity to take courses in various fields of art and I ended my final year deep in the silk prints room at the art department. All the plans in my final projects were silk prints. A few years later, I studied for a master’s degree in Barcelona, in a program that combines architecture, arts, and crafts. It was exactly what I needed; it tied up some loose ends for me, and since then, I have done both.

Do you have any favorite artists, movies, books, or quotes?

I love Caravaggio. Eduard Vuillard. Gustave Caillebotté for his “Les Raboteurs de parquet”. Juan Muñoz sculptures, and Israeli contemporary artists like Ayelet Carmi, Raanan Harlap, Talia Israeli. Dani Gal (full disclosure: my brother) and his wife, Shannon Bool, are both great artists based in Berlin.

What advice do you have for younger artists?

Advise for young artists? Sure. Don’t stress out, keep calm. It’s not worth it. But hey – I tell it myself every day. Does it help? Not really…(:

Any more thoughts about art, creativity, or anything else you would like to share?

Lately, I’m deeply interested in color theory and color history in art and architecture. Next year I’m going to teach a course for architecture students about design and color.

Tom Owen

Tommy Goguely