Davis Reznik: Retrospective

 

The Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery is proud to exhibit a retrospective of  David Reznik, one of Israel’s prominent architects of our times and the winner of 1995 Israel Prize in Architecture. David Reznik acquired his architectural education in Brazil and worked at Architect Oscar Niemeyer’s office from 1944 to 1947. He immigrated to Israel with his wife Rachel in 1949 and settled at the Ein Hashofet Kibutz in Harei Ephraim. In 1951 he moved to Tel Aviv and worked at Architect Zeev Richter’s office until 1954. He then joined Architect Heinz Rau’s office and in 1958 he opened his own office in Jerusalem.

 

David Reznik’s extensive work is centered mostly in Jerusalem and other cities such as Beer Sheva, Hazor HaGlilit and Beit Shemesh. His overseas projects include the design of the Israeli Pavillion at the 1967 Expo in Montreal, Canada and Israel’s Embassy at Brasilia, Brazil. David Reznik’s multidisciplinary involvement is manifested in a verity of architectural projects, serving social, cultural and political purposes. He designed buildings, both for religious and secular purposes, for The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Beer Sheva University, The Center for Near Eastern Studies (The Mormon University) and The Kirya Hachassidit in Hatzor, as well as dwellings for cultural institutions such as the Van Leer Institute, Beit Agron, Beit HaHaial, Hatzor Museum, The Castel Museum, The Kennedy Memorial and Yad Labanim (Memorial for the fallen soldiers).

 

David Reznik is concerned with preservation of the surrounding as far as its particular landscape, heritage, social and cultural characteristics, without overlooking the achievements of Modernism. The rare qualities of his work were impressively defined by the judicial board of the 1955 Israel prize in architecture, thus stating that “David Reznik created a unique architectural style, combining Modernism and advanced technologies while respectfully embracing local heritage, in an outmost esthetic manner”. That unique style has attracted many young architects who had later on become his followers. His work at Haifa’s Technion and Bezalel in Jerusalem has greatly contributed to architectural education in Israel. These remarkable achievements of David Reznik place him as a keystone architect, rewriting and designing the image of Israel and that of Jerusalem in particular.”

 

As a modernist, Reznik is a proponent of functional design that employs contemporary technology; as a humanist, he opts for a restrained, human scale, acknowledging the user’s individual needs and devoting considerable thought to the setting, past and tradition, perceiving himself as “an architect who serves the public”, to paraphrase Louis Kahn.

Corator: Sophia Dekel Caspi. The exhibition is accompanied by an extensive catalogue

This exhibition is in coloboration with the Israel Nationa Museum of Science, Technology & Space, and Daniel and Matilde Recanati Center, Haifa. The production of the catalogue is supported by Israel National Lottery Council for the Arts.

Design and Production of the catalogue and exhibition invitation by: Hava Mordohovich, Kfir Malka

Design and Production of the exhibition by: Eyal Schoenbaum and Hadas Zemer – Tucan Design Studio Ltd.

 

 

The Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery

The Yolanda and David Katz Faculty of the Arts, Tel Aviv University

The Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery

The Yolanda and David Katz Faculty of the Arts

Tel Aviv University &

The Israel National Museum of Science, Technology & Space

Daniel and Matilde Recanati Center (R.A.)

 

Curator of the Gallery: Prof. Mordechai Omer

 

The International Board of Trustees of the University Art Complex:

Chairman and Founder: Beniamino Matatia – Italy

Founders:

Dr. Wilfried and Ursula Bechtolsheimer, England

Monica Benderli, Italy

Stewart and Judy Colton, U.S.A.

Reto a Marca, Switzerland

Dr. Hugo Ramniceanu, France

Esther Sidi, France

Arturo Schwarz, Italy

 

David Reznik: Retrospective

22 February – 21 April 2005

Exhibition

Curator and Catalogue Editor: Sophia Dekel-Caspi

Research Assistant: Chen Ofer

Curator-in-Charge: Irit Tal

Design and Production: Eyal Schoenbaum and Hadas Zemer – Tucan Design Studio Ltd.

Catalogue

Design and Production: Hava Mordohovich, Kfir Malka

Text Editing: Daphna Raz

English Translation: Daria Kassovsky (Thanks to Jon Spector)

The catalogue has been made possible through the generous support of Israel National Lottery Council for the Arts

The exhibition has been made possible through the generous support of:

Yahel Foundation in memory of Leon Recanati (R.A.)

Ayala Zacks Abramov

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Foundation

Mandel Foundation

Samuel and Jean Rothberg Charitable Fund #54

Dezider and Frida Weisz

Jacob and Clara Steinberg

The Jehoshua Rabinovich Tel Aviv Foundation for the Arts

 

© 2005 All rights reserved, The Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery, Tel Aviv University

ISBN: 965-7160-13-8