ABRAHAM DAyAN
Abraham Dayan
Abraham Dayan is a contemporary French painter. In his own words: "One day I woke up and I had to paint. I am a self-taught artist, in my work I put in what I find necessary for the viewer to understand."
Your were born and raised in Paris?
I lived on Rue de La Folie Méricourt not far from the Quai de Jemappes and the place de la République and the Canal Saint Martin. I saw on the banks of the Seine sometimes painters who painted landscapes. My parents took me and my little sister to see Versailles, I remember that it was very beautiful with large paintings and beautiful antique furniture, chandeliers, carpets and embroidery on walls. I remember that I was very impressed, there were always the visits to the see the beauty of Paris, including the Museum of the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay and Center Pompidou, my parents had the taste of beautiful things, I think I inherited it.
"The Queen Esther" 2019
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"The Queen Elizabeth II" 2019
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"I started to study all the artists I loved and learned the history of art by myself, I had a hunch that I knew I was going to get there. I did not know how to paint yet but I thought I could and I wanted to learn, and I was not afraid to try."
"The Tower of Babel" 2003
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"Bresse" 2017
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What inspired you to become an artist? I woke up and I had to paint. There are also the paintings of the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and Centre Pompidou that inspired me, I love the paintings of Van Gogh and Gauguin especially those colors at the beginning, as well as Modigliani and Picasso. Very quickly I loved all the great masters of the Renaissance and Leonardo da Vinci especially. I started to study all the artists I loved and learned the history of art by myself, I had a hunch that I knew I was going to get there. I did not know how to paint yet but I thought I could and I wanted to learn, and I was not afraid to try. You created a watch brand in your youth? In the 80’s I worked with my parents and after a few years of success in sales for the family business my father financed my creation of a watch brand that was not too expensive but very fashionable; that successful journey lasted from 1985 to 1993. I bought creations from Montreal and sold to shops in France and Europe, and it worked very well. After a disappointment in love I dropped everything and wanted to move on to something else. |
"A view to Le Havre" 2017
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"The Raft" 2016
"My vision of the world" That's what I want to leave. I want to change the world by putting in colors instead of monotony. I do not like the dull weather."
"Le Havre" 2019
"Cosette gold and hope" 2019
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"Karine with flowers" 2014
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You spoke about becoming eternal through painting?
This is the first feeling I understood when I read the biographies of the known painters. I saw that most had suffered but not all who arrive here get to leave a language and universal images of their genius for those who follow them decades and centuries after their disappearance. Through their works they become eternal (pretty or not). It is easy to see this simple phenomena when you are in a Museum when the work that you admire of a great painter fascinates you, controls you, dominates you and speaks to you. It is proof that through the work the artist became eternal, often also by what they had understood about the future, so I also want to become eternal.
Tell us about living and painting in the USA?
My experience in the United States was the trigger to show my work. I had painted a hundred paintings and more already in Paris, but I had never shown them. It is in the USA that I gained confidence in me as an artist and I did not stop creating for 7 years between workshops in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Boca Raton. I had a great reception at the Boca Raton art festival, my work is now in the collection of the Contemporary Art Museum of Boca Raton. I liked the brightness of Georgia from the East to Savannah so I took a big Studio upstairs in an art center with15 artists, each artist had their Studio and it felt good to be near artists. We stimulated each other and what I hadn't learned in the schools I was asking my neighbors. From then I was selling and showing my works and selling all over the United States and my work also received very positive commendations from art critics. Savannah the secret jewel of the United States is a very pretty town where one can create beauty. There are an enormous number of artists to be seen at the College of Art, favourably low rental and living costs combined with the beauty of residences. I lived downtown in front of a typical Savannah garden while my workshop was in the historic center where all the tourists come to visit the restaurants and attractions. I created and painted hundreds of paintings and developed my style with several evolutions. Despite the irresistible magic of Savannah, as usual as with my father and my watches I could not resist the urge to set off for New York City. This must be my sickness of impatience but after 4 years I also felt ready. I arrived in New York with a truck with all my furniture and paintings. It wasn't easy at first, I lived for 8 months at a hotel on 73 and 7th Avenue West in Manhattan and I was painting in my Studio in Madison and 6th Avenue just behind the Empire State building. I realized at least 100 paintings there. There are all these different people and trips from the United States, magnificent exhibits in the major galleries and Museums, artists and artworks that I have seen… all of this knowledge mixed with my culture from Europe allowed me to develop my works as an artist, I feel like a citizen of the world. I love New York, Savannah and Florida… these cities where anything is possible.
"Encounter in the Middle Age " 2011
"When I paint them, I put what is necessary in my eyes so that the spectator understands but I leave open doors for imagination."
Noah's Ark " 2003
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"Deauville" 2011
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You have participated in many international shows?
I have participated in numerous festivals, exhibitions and the Biennial of International Art. It is very rewarding for me as an artist that my work is recognized throughout the world. I am always amazed when the art organizers ask me to participate in large group exhibitions; recognition is very important for an artist, even more than money for the most part, it's a gift from God. But aside from that, this brings an extra challenge and motivating because generally I will be alongside extraordinary artists and different talents. In our work and approach in art, all of a sudden one doubts and it is good because it allows one to advance to create and see other Horizons. We can then show these creations hoping to have a good reaction, it's nice to find yourself as a spectator too. The exhibitions are also important because it creates communication with good galleries and sales opportunities, of course it is also beneficial for the resume.
What is the inherent DNA of your work?
"My vision of the world" That's what I want to leave. I want to change the world by putting in colors instead of monotony.
I do not like the dull weather, in my characters I love that there is emotion that emerges from them especially in my portraits. I want my portraits to touch people by the beauty and the power of some traits and certain colors adapted to the character. When I paint them, I put what is necessary in my eyes so that the spectator understands but I leave open doors for imagination. Through the beauty, the creation and subtlety, I help them to see sometimes the shocking and prophetic, and the mystical. In my scenes I try to rework what is common in creativity such as salon tables or other objects with a different approach to the characters in a space and perspectives, I also use more colors that are my own, I try to ensure that the work is interesting that the spectator always discovers new things in the painting.
Abraham Dayan
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"Pope François" 2019
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"The Circus " - 2000
Why do you work in your style and way?
It's the evolution of my style for 25 years, I try to find other ways and doors but I always come back to this because I think it's natural, I believe it's me. It's bad because I lock myself in this style, despite the difficulty with the market and galleries I did not change my style as a weathervane going to the art market but I rather try to impose it and explain it when I can. There are people who see my work and appropriate it to illustrious and famous artists and it is not easy for me to compete with the very famous movements and painters but I know that my work is different by what I create it and so I defend it.
So I lock myself in this box that may be my coffin. The process I draw with a grey tale darkens the features of an image or a scene that I have in my brain with my search for space and prospects, if I see that it comes from me or from my unconscious I trace it with an old Dutch blue oil «old Holland "and after I work the deeper traits and colors.
What does the future hold for Abraham Dayan?
My plans for this year is to create at least 6 to 8 gigantic sized works and to try to paint at least 10 medium formats, and to distribute them to galleries around the world. For the future I would like to paint the most beautiful portraits of the world after Leonardo da Vinci and paint for major galleries and museums.
What message would you like to share to the world?
Let's save the world together by creating, emotions, creativity and beauty.
What are your passions?
I love cars, travelling to see other cultures, science, space of other worlds and research.
Website: www.abraham-dayan.com
"View of NYC through a taxi" 2004
Abraham Dayan and Unfinished Painting 2019