Cuturi Gallery is delighted to present Familiar Smells by Yam Shalev (b. 1996, Tel Aviv) marking Shalev’s second solo show with the gallery. Primarily influenced by the culture and surroundings during his journey back home to Israel, Shalev shares personal moments that have left an impression on him. In this new series of works, Shalev features still-lifes of plants, flowers and food where he could narrate his life story. Utilizing food as the main motif of his works, it represents the gathering of family and friends capturing the perfect example of celebration, affection and company. Being away from home allowed him to view Israel in a new light from the aesthetics, the cuisine, the culture and the warmth that comes along with it.
Currently residing in Berlin, Shalev, a self-taught artist, considers himself more of an observer than a participant and finds solace in capturing his surroundings on canvas and documenting intense emotional events. His love and passion for still life began at the ripe age of 15. Fascinated with objects that surrounded him and how they were organically arranged or presented, sparked his curiosity about how his environment affected specific moments, the mood, emotions and atmosphere.
Shalev plays with the viewer’s imagination by painting in a way that only provides them with fragments of the bigger picture, allowing them to fill in the blanks with their own narratives. Shalev is also interested in the emotional response one is transported to feel when gazing at his works, as much as his paintings are reflections of his surroundings.
Venue: Cuturi Gallery, 61 Aliwal St, Singapore 199937
When: 1 Apr - 14 May 2023, 12pm - 6pm
By: Cuturi Gallery
