Chianciano Art Museum
Critical Analysis Artist: Abraham Dayan Art Critic: Karen Lappon
ICAC
International Confederation of Art Critics
Critical Analysis Artist: Abraham Dayan Art Critic: Karen Lappon
The Museum The Museum of Art of Chianciano hosts a series of collections ranging from Neolithic and Asiatic to Contemporary art. There are approximately a thousand works on display. Visitors are able to view paintings and sculptures by artists such as Tom Nash, Salvador Dali, Sir Henry Moore, Frances Turner, Mario Schifano, Damien Hirst, Brian Willsher and Albert Louden, drawings by the likes of Magritte, Guttuso and Munch; historical works from Royal Collections and original etchings by masters such as Dürer and Rembrandt. The museum is known for organising annual international events, including the Chianciano International Art Award and the Biennale of Chianciano.
Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) “Joachim and the Angel” Original woodcut, circa 1504
Sir Henry Moore (1898-1986) “Head” Bronze Sculpture
ICAC
International Confederation of Art Critics
The Critic Karen Lappon, born in Santander, Spain, is an Italian art critic and essay writer that operates in London, UK. Although an expert on the Italian Renaissance period, Lappon is also great admirer of contemporary art. Karen studied at the “I Liceo Artistico in Via Ripetta” and at the “La Sapienza” University in Rome. A book of great interest curated by Karen is the “2nd Millenium”, the publication of an important exhibition at the Lord Leighton Museum, in which the talent and art of the prominent painter, Frances Turner - selected 5 times in a row for the BP Award at the National Portrait Gallery in London - is highlighted. This artist has been spotted and appreciated by another great critic, Normal Searle, that wrote an article in the Evening Standard on one of Frances’ paintings. “Vita e Opere di Antonio Sbrana” is a publication in which Lappon ties the activity of Sbrana and his influences on the “Macchiaioli” of the 19th century, like Natali and Fattori. A publication that illustrates the continuity of this movement and how it is still present in Italy today. Besides being a consultant for the Chianciano Museum of Art, Karen Lappon is part of the Board that selects artists for the Biennale, a difficult task that she has undertaken since 2009, along with other curators, to choose 100 artists out of 2000 applicants that will be part of the Chianciano Biennale. Karen is part of the jury of the London Biennale where 120 artists, selected from 40 different countries participate, and has been chosen by the organisers to accompany the Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea during the opening of the biennale.
“La Venus” Oil on canvas by Abraham Dayan
The Artist Solo Exhibitions
2011 - Galerie Nadine Berribi, Paris, France 2011- Centre Culturel “ le Villare” Villers-sur mer, France 2006 – Empire State Building, New York, USA 2002 – Centre de création pour les Arts, Jekill Island, USA 2001 – Consulat de France, Savannah, USA 2000 - Galerie Lobby, Savannah, USA
Permament Collections
Musée d’Art, Bocca Raton, USA
Awards and Prizes
2014 - 1er prix à la Biennale de la Créativité de Vérone “premio Shakespeare” 2013 - Société académique ARTS-SCIENCES-LETTRES Paris - Médaille d’étain 2013 2012 - Italia in Arte - prix internationale “NEPTUNO”Lecce, Italie 2012 - Italia in Arte - prix special droit de l’ homme “SPARTACUS “ - Lecce, Italie 2001 – 2ième prix pour l’œuvre «Peinture du concept de fenêtre», Bureau des affaires culturelles, Savannah, USA
Group Exhibitions
2015 - La Biennale de Chianciano - exposition au Musée d’art de Chianciano Terme, Sienne Italie 2015 - L’ Art Contemporain au VATICAN 2015. Le Palais de la Chancellerie of 1° 500- VATICAN property , Rome 2015 - Biennale Internationale d’Art Contemporain de Florence - Florence, Italie 2015 - “International Artists” theatre DIOSCURI QUIRINALE , Rome Italie 2015 - “L’art du future” Musee BRAMANTE Rome, (reprenter par Galleria II Collezionista) 2014 - Mag Montreux , Suisse 2014 - MIAMI Spectrum , Miami USA 2014 - Art Shopping , Paris France 2014 - galerie Wikiarte Bologne, commissaire d’exposition Mr Giorgo GRASSO, Italie 2014 - 1er prix à la Biennale de la Créativité de Vérone “Premio Shakespeare”
Group Exhibitions
2014 - Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Monreale in Sicily, Italie 2014 - MuMa Galata Museum, International group show, curatrice Adelinda Allegretti, Genes Italie. 2014 - Gallery 03 Oxford Castle, exposition international, curatrice Adelinda Allegretti , Royaume Uni 2014 - Gadarte Art Gallery, Florence, Italie 2014 - Artexpo International New YORK ( représenter par EA Editore ) New York, USA 2013 - Biennale Internationnale d’Art de Palerme, Italie 2011 – Palais de l’Europe, Le Touquet, France 2011 – Domaine de Chales, Nouan-le-Fuzelier, France 2011 – Salon d’art de la Bellevilloise, Paris, France 2010 – Chemins croisés, Galerie Celal, Paris, France 2004 – Institut d’Art Contemporain, Philadelphia, USA 2004 – Galerie Anthem, New York, USA 2003 – Biennale internationale de l’art contemporain, Florence, Italie 2003 – 5ème foire internationale d’art contemporain, Zurich, Suisse 2003 – Art de Philadelphie International, Philadephie, USA 2003 – Galerie Kranzler Eck, Berlin, Allemagne 2003 – Maison Idea, magazine Southern Living, Savannah, USA 2002 – Consulat de France, Atlanta, USA 2002 – Université Belmont, Nashville, USA 2002 – 4ème foire internationale d’art contemporain, Zurich, Suisse 2002 – Centre d’art, Charleston, USA 2002 – Savannah Festival Jazz Sur scène internationale, Savannah, USA 2001 – Galerie Capitole de l’État, Bureau de l’Assemblée générale Atlanta gouverneur, USA 2001 – Galerie Lansdell, Atlanta, USA 2000 – Festival d’Art, Key Biscayne, USA 2000 – Musée d’Art, Bocca Raton, USA 2000 – Galerie d’art de la Banque gauche, St île Simmons, USA 2000 – Galerie Off the Wall, Savannah, USA
“Scarlett and Joy dans le 3ème dimension” Oil on canvas by Abraham Dayan
The Critique
Abraham Dayan is an extremely talented and intellectual artist strongly influenced by Cubism, Expressionism as well as Constructivism. In his paintings the viewer encounters a unique interpretation of art and art history in which a wonderful juxtaposition of ideas come together recalling great artists such as Gris, Feininger, Lissitzky, Chagall and Kandinsky. Dayan’s fragmented figures convey a sense of timeless delicacy and elegance that immediately enthralls the spectator. The subjects of the compositions are often female figures whose sublime beauty and grace seems to submerge from a subconscious dream-world, painted with refined taste and a poetic touch. Sharp, angular lines, shapes and forms express exquisitely sensual albeit powerful emotions in Dayan’s work. Dayan tells a story with his art as the figures are painted like calm narrators of a mysterious plot. The viewer is part of a silent audience in a process of communication interpreting the infinite stories conceived through the timeless language of subconscious symbolism - the contrast between the perfect geometry of line and the expressive abstraction seemingly defining the border between reality and dreams. The geometric elements, painted in soft colours, delineate the form, sometimes overlapping it, to convey a sense of perspective allthewhile the impression of depth is created by the diagonal lines which appear to extend beyond the compositions. The skillful interplay of shape and diagonal lines is enhanced by multicoloured shadows which contribute to an effective and striking use of light. As Albrecht Durer once said: “Geometry is the right foundation of all painting”. Abraham Dayan uses his intellect and talent to not only confirm Durer’s words but also to give them life through his exceptional artworks.
Karen Lappon International Confederation of Art Critics
“Le radeau de la méduse” Oil on canvas by Abraham Dayan
“La Parisienne” Oil on canvas by Abraham Dayan
International Confederation of Art Critics www.international-confederation-art-critics.org