I have to admit that I don't know much about Moshe Castel, but from what I do know, he sounds well worth checking out. In Israel, Castel is considered a "national treasure". His works can be found on display in Israel's Knesset, at the home of the President, and at the Moshe Castel Museum of Art.A native of Israel, Castel was born in Jerusalem in 1909. His family's connection to Israel goes back for many generations - they immigrated directly to Israel (which was then called Palestine) in 1492, when the Jews were expelled from Spain. As a young man, Castel went off to Paris to study art, during which time he traveled in the same circles with such artists as: Picasso, Matisse, Sutin and Chagall. During WWII, Castel was forced to flee Nazi occupied France. He returned home and took up residence within the art community of Safed, Israel.
Castel's art is easily recognized by his distinctive use of vibrant colors - reds, blues, and greens. He also had a penchant for literally incorporating the "Land of Israel" right into his art. He would use basalt rock, indigenous to Israel, as a medium in his paintings. His "modernist techniques" included embellishing his art with ancient symbols and letters. Kind of an old vs. new approach to art.
The Moshe Castel Art Museum is located in Jerusalem. The museum is run by his widow, Bilhah Castel, who still serves as the museum's president. When the museum was designed the idea was to not only display Moshe's art, but to offset the landscape of Israel that inspired his work. I love the windows of the museum, almost look like paintings themselves!
