Shir Zalcman

Biography
With intention and sincerity, Shir Zalcman’s artwork is a piece of herself. The thirty-seven year old Israeli artist paints to reflect the present moment of her everyday, emotional experience. A  self-taught artist, she currently lives in central Israel with her family. Her studio is a space to escape, to reflect and confront parts of herself through the process of painting. Mainly using acrylic paint and charcoal mediums, she uses palette knives and brushes to create depth through texture, layering and linework. Choosing a bold colour palette, she intuitively composes these textural patterns by layering them together to explore the visceral nature of feelings. She works in harmony with the fast drying process of acrylic paint, building layers to be completed as a whole rather than in parts. Her paintings have been shown at a variety of exhibitions. Her most recent showing was at the Chianciano 2022 BIENNALE and in 2021 Depths and Layers, a solo exhibition at Tel Aviv. Zalcman has been published in two issues with APERO MAGAZINE. Her work has also been shown in ITSUV, Israel’s top magazine for house decor.

Artist Statement
Zalcman takes a bold approach in her paintings by allowing her feelings to take over the process. This freedom gives her work spontaneity and purity in its expression. Using vivid colours in complementary spectrums like blue and reds, she expresses a deep intensity. The stark contrast between her colour tones enables more room for depth and perspective between form, light and darkness. Her brushwork builds layers of fractal textures in angular shapes, creating intricate, irregular patterns reminiscent of  imagery in nature. These abstract impressions evoke the emotional complexity within herself. She sometimes marks her paintings with charcoal to emphasize these shifting perspectives. The lines evoke a delicate composition of being between two dimensional and three dimensional states. She aims to provoke these feelings deep within a person that words are limited to describe. Her work captures this essence, creating a multitude of possibilities to be felt through the subjective experience of the viewer. Flowing through the movements of perception, an emotional landscape rises within her in the midst of a visual vision.

What’s your background?

I have a Master's degree in Art Therapy, and I previously worked with children with disabilities and mental health issues before pursuing a career as a full-time artist.

What does it mean to you to win the Collectors Art Prize?

Winning the Collectors Art Prize is a great honor, and I feel grateful for the recognition I received from the judges.

What do you think is the role of art in the world today?

Art serves various purposes, but I believe its most essential role is to visually tell stories, address cultural and social issues, evoke emotions and thoughts in viewers, and express the artist's innermost self.

What would it be if you could change one thing about the art world?

I would like to see a more extensive and engaged community of art enthusiasts.

What are your most significant professional achievements?

Being recognized for my abstract painting with an award at the 2022 Chianciano Biennale is a significant milestone in my career.

What do you wish to tell viewers about your work that might not come out explicitly?

I hope that my art moves viewers to feel rather than analyze it. I want to inspire people dealing with grief and other emotional struggles and raise awareness of these issues.

What advice would you give to the upcoming generation of artists?

My advice to aspiring artists is to continue creating and improving their skills while staying true to their unique artistic journey.

In what direction would you like to see your career go in the next five years?

Over the next five years, I hope to showcase my art in museums worldwide and increase my impact as an artist.

Country Israel

Website http://www.shirzalcmanart.com