The search of the secret of the shape

I was born and raised in Tel Aviv, and since 1975 created my life and art in Jerusalem. When I decided to settle in the United
States last November I was drawn to Santa Fe, N.M., not only for its rich art community, but for its magnetic spiritual environment.  It was not an easy decision to leave behind a rich (abundant?) cultural life centered around my large welcoming
studio where for many years I both taught classes and entertained friends and colleagues. It was a euphoric atmosphere filled
with creative, artistic, and spiritual discussions. I had to close that chapter of my life, said farewell and moved to Santa Fe.

I know I am in the right place to pursue my spiritually symbolic art. When I am asked how I arrived at this point of my creative journey, I usually respond with the following:

At the age of five, I was in the lap of my father, a devoted painter who would show me art books.  Pointing to an image, he said, “See, this is Brancusi.”  I immediately fell in love. When I was ten, my father told me he wanted me to learn art and asked what
kind of art I felt like doing.  I told him, “I don’t want to do what you do because I hate the smell of oil paint.  I want to do sculpture.”  So since then, I studied sculpture. 
At age 20, after exploring the expanses of LSD and other assorted drugs, I changed my life and turned to religion.  For the next 18 years the only work my ten fingers did was turn the pages of religious books. 
One day, a friend reminded me of the art I did when I was young. “Don’t you miss it?” he asked me. He invited me to his studio where he had all the materials and facilities.  On that day, I returned to sculpting.  For me it was like descending from the upper mystical worlds, and I decided to combine the spiritual worlds with the material world.  Since then, I’ve been working hard to create sculptures that both please the eye and capture the magnificence of God.

Through all these years of creativity, I explored and tested a lot of styles and mediums in my art, searching for the secret of the Shape.  About seven years ago, I was exposed to a wonderful collection of art from the Neolithic Period, the first human art
created; I was amazed by the simplicity and energy of these figures.  I studied them first as a scholar, eventually unveiling the secrets of their creation and then following this style in the process of seeking the secret of the Shape. This is where I am now,
still searching for the secret of the Shape, but I feel more sure of myself because of the inspiration I received from these ancient figures.  It is this inspiration that has led me to a simplicity and symbolism in my own work, which I believe is the most effective
way to convey the ideas of spirituality through visual art to all humanity.

Ilan began exhibiting his bronze sculptures in May, 2006 at Darnell Fine Art Gallery on Canyon Road.
It was his first exhibition in America. Ilan is currently showing his work at the Waxlander Gallery in Santa Fe.