Jonathan Gold (painter)

Jonathan Gold (Hebrew: יונתן גולד; born 1972, Kibbutz Afek, Israel) is an Israeli contemporary painter based in Tel Aviv. His work, which often merges figuration and abstraction, investigates themes of group identity, gender dynamics, ritual, and the performative presence of the body in painting. Raised in a kibbutz, Gold integrates unconventional materials—cold wax, pigments, animal glue—into his practice, emphasizing textured, matte surfaces that evoke both materiality and memory.[1]

Early life and education

Gold was born in 1972 in Kibbutz Afek, Israel. He began studying art at Tel-Hai Academic College and continued at the University of Haifa and the Midrasha School of Art at Beit Berl College. Between 2002 and 2004, he studied at the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam.[2]

Artistic career

Gold’s work examines tensions between individuals and groups,[3] frequently through depictions of nude or clothed figures in institutional or abstract settings. He employs both traditional and self-made materials—including pigments, cold wax, and animal glue, to produce matte, textured surfaces. His practice emphasizes the materiality of painting and its role in mediating the body and social space.[4]

He often works in thematic series, such as Hover, Bathers, Group, and Admissions Committee, focusing on how authority, belonging, and visibility are structured through visual culture.

Selected works

  • Night Watch (2005) – scenes of frozen, ritual-like figures.n
  • Hover (2010) – surreal architecture and weightless objects.
  • The Children Want Communism (2016) – large-scale, mural-style paintings.
  • Admissions Committee (2019) – nude group compositions referencing institutional critique.[5]

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions (selected)

  • 2001 – Ideal Types, Rosenfeld Gallery, Tel Aviv
  • 2007 – New Paintings, CTRL Gallery, Houston
  • 2010 – Hover, Alon Segev Gallery, Tel Aviv
  • 2019 – Admissions Committee, Midrasha School of Art, Beit Berl
  • 2021 – Filling a Bucket, Ein Harod Museum of Art[6]

Group exhibitions (selected)

  • 2005 – Die Neuen Hebräer, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin
  • 2016 – Art School: HaMidrasha at Seventy, Tel Aviv Museum of Art
  • 2016 – The Kids Want Communism, MoBY – Museums of Bat Yam
  • 2025 – Pichpuch, Jerusalem Artists’ House[7]

Awards and recognition

Gold has received several awards and grants, including:

  • 1992 – Hecht Museum Prize for Young Artists
  • 2000 – Young Artist Prize, Israeli Ministry of Culture
  • 2008 – Prize for Visual Arts, Israeli Ministry of Culture
  • 2018 – Lottery Foundation Grant
  • Support from the Rabinovich Foundation and Pais Council for the Arts[8]

Collections

His works are included in major Israeli public and private collections:

Themes and technique

Gold’s paintings engage with:

  • Secular rituals and national mythologies
  • Power relations in institutional or collective settings
  • Gender and bodily representation
  • The physical act of painting as a performative gesture

He is influenced by Israeli modernists such as Moshe Kupferman and Yohanan Simon, while maintaining a contemporary, critical perspective.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Main". Jonathan Gold. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  2. ^ "Jonathan Gold – Zemack Contemporary Art". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  3. ^ "All in One: The Individual and the Group in Jonathan Gold's Oeuvre". נטע גל-עצמון Neta Gal-Azmon. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  4. ^ "Jonathan Gold: Artist Statement". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  5. ^ "Jonathan Gold – Midrasha Exhibition 2019". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  6. ^ "Filling a Bucket – Ein Harod Museum". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  7. ^ "Jerusalem Artists' House – Pichpuch Exhibition". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  8. ^ "Jonathan Gold – CV". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  9. ^ "Hecht Museum – Collection Entry: Jonathan Gold". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  10. ^ "Jonathan Gold - Paintings and Drawings". Jonathan Gold. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
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