Michael Kovner was born in 1948 in Kibbutz Ein Hahoresh. He studied painting in New York at the ׳New York Studio School׳ between 1972 and 1975. During his studies, a relationship of friendship and appreciation was forged with his teacher Philip Guston. He returned to Israel in the summer of 1975, and exhibited around 15 solo shows at the Bineth Gallery in Tel Aviv from 1978 to 2013. He has exhibited in group exhibitions at the Tel Aviv Museum, Israel Museum, Haifa Museum and the Jewish Museum in New York. He also exhibited solo exhibitions at the Ramat Gan Museum, Ein Harod, and the University Gallery in Be'er Sheva.
Kovner concentrates mainly on painting landscapes of Israel. This is a position that is not taken for granted in the world of art.
״Kovner's localism is not a declaration of ownership, but of love: the landscape is felt as a close and paternal thing, one can touch it and care for it, and the painting is not evidence of the obvious, ״native״ identity that supposedly precedes knowledge and understanding, A slightly more public formulation of intimate contacts, which until now have been a secret, has touches of idiosyncrasy, of private and capsized language, and touches of the experience of the many - the Gilboa, the sea, the desert, Jerusalem, and the two languages touching each other. The "Israeliness" of the landscapes and not the ancient splendor of the place. "Knowledge of the land" expresses a gentle and silent knowledge, even a profound one. It is not a relation of ownership or mastery. It's very clear that the artist's life is not life without these views, but even clearer - these sights rose towards the one who sees them.”
Michael Kovner was born in 1948 in Kibbutz Ein Hahoresh. He studied painting in New York at the ׳New York Studio School׳ between 1972 and 1975. During his studies, a relationship of friendship and appreciation was forged with his teacher Philip Guston. He returned to Israel in the summer of 1975, and exhibited around 15 solo shows at the Bineth Gallery in Tel Aviv from 1978 to 2013. He has exhibited in group exhibitions at the Tel Aviv Museum, Israel Museum, Haifa Museum and the Jewish Museum in New York. He also exhibited solo exhibitions at the Ramat Gan Museum, Ein Harod, and the University Gallery in Be'er Sheva.
Kovner concentrates mainly on painting landscapes of Israel. This is a position that is not taken for granted in the world of art.
״Kovner's localism is not a declaration of ownership, but of love: the landscape is felt as a close and paternal thing, one can touch it and care for it, and the painting is not evidence of the obvious, ״native״ identity that supposedly precedes knowledge and understanding, A slightly more public formulation of intimate contacts, which until now have been a secret, has touches of idiosyncrasy, of private and capsized language, and touches of the experience of the many - the Gilboa, the sea, the desert, Jerusalem, and the two languages touching each other. The "Israeliness" of the landscapes and not the ancient splendor of the place. "Knowledge of the land" expresses a gentle and silent knowledge, even a profound one. It is not a relation of ownership or mastery. It's very clear that the artist's life is not life without these views, but even clearer - these sights rose towards the one who sees them.”
