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עדינה בר-און נולדה ב-19 בדצמבר 1951, בקיבוץ כפר בלום, ישראל. בר-און היא אמנית מופע חלוצית, הראשונה בישראל, ופעילה קרוב לחמישה עשורים. עבודתה של בר-און דנה בקשרים שבין תופעות תרבותיות לבין דפוסי התנהגות בחברה. היא חוקרת בעיקר את נושא הזהות, מסבה את תשומת הלב להיבטים קונפליקטואליים בכינון זהות ומבקשת בתוך כך להניע את הצופה לחשיבה ביקורתית, למעורבות ולתחושת אחריות על המתרחש. היא מביאה נושאים אלה לקדמת הבמה תוך שימוש בגופה ובקולה.
בר-און פעילה כאמנית מופע משנת 1973, עת הייתה סטודנטית בשנת לימודיה השלישית באקדמיה לאמנות ולעיצוב, בצלאל, בירושלים. במשך השנים היא הציגה את עבודותיה במוזיאונים, באירועי תרבות ובגלריות בישראל; כמו-כן היא מרבה להופיע באירופה ובמדינות מזרח אסיה, קנדה, ארצות הברית ודרום אמריקה. כמי שמחויבת לעמדה פוליטית וחברתית, היא נוהגת לקחת חלק כאמנית ולהציג את עבודתה באירועים פוליטיים וחברתיים.
בר-און לימדה תקשורת חזותית ואמנות המופע במוסדות גבוהים לאמנות, בישראל ומחוצה לה, מאז אמצע שנות השבעים ועד היום. לאורך השנים בר-און פיתחה מתודולוגיה ייחודית להוראת אמנות המופע המחדדת את תפקידו של האמן כמדיום בחברה שבה הוא יוצר.
בשנים האחרונות, בר-און יצרה מתוך תחושת הדחיפות לגבי השיח על “האחר”; הפרויקט אסתטיקה ודעות קדומות – מפגש סטודנטים לאמנות מפולין ומישראל (Aesthetics and Bias – Polish Israeli Art Student Meeting ) הוא יוזמה חינוכית שלה שאצרה וניהלה במשך עשור. יוזמה זו חיברה בין ארבעה מוסדות גבוהים ללימודי אמנות בפולין לבין האקדמיה לאמנות ועיצוב בצלאל, בירושלים ומכללת דר אל-כלימה בבית לחם.
לאחרונה הוענק לה פרס דיזנגוף 2021, לאמנות, ופרס לנדאו 2021, לאמנות הפרפורמנס. בשנת 2001 בר-און קיבלה את פרס קרן התרבות אמריקה-ישראל עבור תרומתה לאמנות הישראלית. ספרה של עידית פורת, עדינה בר-און, אמנית מופע, ראה אור באותה שנה בהוצאת מוזיאון הרצליה לאמנות והקיבוץ המאוחד, סדרת ‘קו אדום’. – בנובמבר 2018 הוענק לה תואר שגרירה של כבוד על ידי ממשלת פולין.
Adina Bar-On was born December 19, 1951 in Kibbutz Kfar Blum, Israel. She is a pioneer performance artist, considered to be the first performance artist in Israel.
Active for nearly five decades, her work continuously discusses the connections between cultural phenomena and patterns of behavior in society. She investigates the issue of identity and draws attention to conflicting aspects in identity formation.
Adina seeks to motivate the viewer to critical thinking, involvement, and a sense of responsibility for what is happening. She brings these issues to the forefront by using her body and voice.
Adina Bar-On has been an active performer since 1973, when she was a 3rd year student at the Bezalel Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Jerusalem. Over the years, she has presented her work in Art Museums, culture events, and galleries, in Israel, Europe, across Asia, Canada and the USA. Making it her business to emphasize her political and social stand, she has insistently performed in social and political events.
Since the mid 1970’s she has taught painting, visual communication, and performance art, in the various institutions of higher learning in Israel and abroad. Her methodology of teaching visual communication has evolved in her workshops at Bezalel Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Jerusalem.
Between 2008-2018 Bar-On channeled her educational initiatives to promote other ways of discussion about Differences; The project “Aesthetics and Bias – Polish Israeli Art Student Meeting” has been an educational initiative between Bezalel Academy and four prominent Polish Institutions of higher art education, as well as careful initiatives between Bezalel Academy and Dar al Kalima in Palestine.
In 2021 the Landau and the Dizengoff prizes were awarded to Bar-On for her performance-art; In 2001 she received a prize by the American Israel Cultural Foundation, for her contribution to Israeli art and in the same year Idit Porat`s book, “Adina Bar-On, Performance Artist”, was published by Hakibbutz Hameuchad and the Herzliya Museum of Art. In November 2018 she was endowed with the title of Honorary Ambassador by the government of Poland.
EDUCATION
1979-83 Choreography and movement with Dr. Ronit Land
1976 Dimitri School of Theatre, Vercio, Switzeland
1970-74 B.F.A , Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem
1969-70 Avni School of Art, Tel Aviv
GRANTS
1970-74 Keren Sharet Funds – A complete tuition grant for studies at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem
BOOKS
2025 “Daniel Davis”
Design: Noa Schwartz Photography: Roni Cnaani
2018 “Aesthetics and Bias”\ “אסתטיקה ודעות קדומות”
By: Adina Bar-On and Marek Wsilewski
Publisher: Arsenal Municipal Gallery of Poznan, Poland
2001 “Adina Bar-On , Performance Artist” \ “עדינה בר-און אמנית מופע”
By: Idit Porat
Publishers: Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishing House Ltd., Herzlyia Museum of Art, Israel
PRIZES and AWARDS
2021 The Culture Department of Tel Aviv Municipality – “The Dizingof Prize in Plastic Art”
2021 Mifal Hapais – Landau Award for Arts and Sciences in the field of Performance
2018 The Polish Embassy and Polish Institute In Israel awarded Adina Bar-On with the title – “Ambassador of Poland`s Good Name”.
2001 The American Israeli Cultural Foundation – “A Prize of Appreciation on a Unique Contribution to Art”.
1991 The Ministry of Culture and Education of Israel – “A Prize for the Completion of a Visual-Arts Project”.
EXHIBITIONS
2024 “Labor Pains”: Givat Haviva Art Gallery
2024 “Jerusalem School – One hundred years of art in the city”: The David Tower and HaMiffal art center, Jerusalem
2022 “Material Imagination”: Israeli Art from the Museum`s Collection
2018 “Aesthetics and Bias”: Arsenal Municipal Gallery, Poznan, Poland
2010 “Aesthetics and Bias”: Barbour Gallery, Jerusalem
2008 “My Own Body/Art in Israel 1968-78”: Tel Aviv Museum of Art
2001 “Adina Bar-On, Performance Artist”: Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong
1998 “Perspectives on Israeli Art of The Seventies”: Tel Aviv Museum of Art
1998 “Women Artists in Israel”: The Haifa Museum of Contemporary Art
Performance Works
2025: Sacrifice / עקידה
Revised and renewed / מופע מחודש
on the final day of Daniel Davis`s Retrospective Exhibition
– “We belong to the Earth”; Beit Benyamini Ceramics Center, Tel Aviv.
At the closure the exhibition “At Knee`s Hight – Curators in Time of War” – MA Program in Art`s Policy and Theory;
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem. (Aug. 5th)
FeelBeit – Community and Culture House, Jerusalem. (Aug. 11th)
2024: Home Of Course / בית כמובן
renewed / מופע מחודש
The Lab, Tel Aviv (September)
Lantern Gallery; ChengDu, China (October)
2024-2025: ABOUT LOVE / על האהבה
renewed / מופע מחודש
renewed / מופע מחודש
Artists` Studios; Tel Aviv (May, 2024)
12th UP-ON International Live Art Festival – A4 Art Museum; ChengDu, China (Oct. 2024)
In context of group exhibition “Labor Pain”; Givat Haviva Art Gallery (Nov. 2024)
Tova Osman Gallery; Tel Aviv (Jan. 2025)
2023: From Memory to Memory and Independance / מזיכרון לזיכרון ו-עצמאות
T”A TARBUT Kiryat Ha`melach
2022, 2023: DREAMING / היינו כחולמים
Tel Aviv Museum of Art
2020, 2022: More Than Enough / יותר – מי -די
Artists` Studios, Tel Aviv, Israel
2018-2019: In-between / בין לבין
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw, Poland
The 6th UP-ON International Live Art Festival, ChengDu, China
Gallery Ana Lama, Lisbon, Portugal
The Refrigerator, Tel Aviv, Israel
Gallery Vila, Jerusalem, Israel Gallery Labirynt, Lublin, Poland
2017: Tearing Hymn / זמר לח
Featuring Raz Gomeh / בשיתוף רז גמא
Center for Contemporary Art, CCA,Tel Aviv, Israel / 11 performances
2016: Rest / באה מנוחה ליגע
Israel Festival, Jerusalem Theater/ 7 performances
A renewed version / עיבוד חדש
Sound: Joseph Mar-Chaim Constructions: Yuval Kedem Bedding: Nirit Anijar
Costume: Hadass Gertman
2014: No Matter # 3 # אין דבר
Zacheta National Gallery, Warsaw; Poland
No Matter # 2 # אין דבר
Contexts 2014; 4th Sokolovsko Festival of Ephemeral Art; Poland
2013: No Matter / אין דבר
Mandel Culture Center; Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel
10 Performances
2011 – 2012: Sacred / חרדת קודש
Muu Gallery; Helsinki, Finland
Kibbutz Be`eri Gallery; Israel
Wroclaw Academy Museum; Poland
Arka Performance Festival; Assemani, Sardenia
Musrara Mix12; A Festival of Art; Jerusalem, Israel
Yafa, Book store & Coffee shop; Jaffa, Israel
Contexts 2012; 2nd Sokolovsko Festival of Ephemeral Art; Poland
Baltic Gallery; Slupsk, Poland
2010: Mapping / מיפוי
Moby, Bat Yam Museum of Art; Island/an ongoing Performance project.
2008-2012: Sentenced to Life / 40×40 / משפט לחיים
Interventions Festival/ Performance Art; U. of California, Santa Cruz, USA
In the Context of Art/ The Differences; Warsaw, Poland
The Future of Imagination, International Performance Art Festival, Singapore Sandomierz Gallery; Poland
Baltic Gallery; Slupsk, Poland
Contexts 2012; 2nd Sokolovsko Festival of Ephemeral Art; Poland
2007-2010: Lo!לא
Interaction, International Performance Art Festival; Asemini, Sardinia
The New Artists Studio Gallery; Jerusalem, Israel
Ensemble of Women; Santiago, Chile
Interakcje International Performance Art Festiva;Piotrekof Trybunalski, Poland
Blurr International Performance Art Festival; Tel Aviv, Israel
Barbour Gallery; Jerusalem, Israel
Arsenal Gallery; Bialystok, Poland
Epipdereme, Performance Art event; Lisbon, Portugal
Moby, Bat Yam Museum of Art; Bat Yam, Israel
Contexts 2012; 2nd Sokolovsko Festival of Ephemeral Art; Poland
2007: Lo, Lo!לא, לא
In the Context of Art/ The Differences; Warsaw, Poland
Symposium of Poetical Realities; Slupsk; Poland
Mobius International Festival of Performance Art; Boston, USA
Grace Space; NYC’ USA
2005-2006: Dreamy / חלומי
IMAF, International Multimedia Art Festival; Odzaci, Serbia
The Maps of the World Exhibit; Benisanpit, Tokyo, Japan
Art Action 4, International Performance Art Festival; Monza, Italy
Friktioner International Performance Festival; Uppsala, Sweden
Symposium Of Poetical Realities; Slupsk, Poland
Heder Gallery; Tel Aviv, Israel
2005-2006: Introduction to Visual Communication / מבוא לתקשורת חזותית
Adina Bar-On’s Studio;Tel Aviv; Israel
Alytus Biennale of Art/ Beware of Politics; Lithuania
2005-2012: About love/A Trilolgy / על האהבה/טרילוגיה
Asiatopia, International Performance Art Festival; Bangkok, Chiangmai; Thailand
Central Bus Station of the city of Tel Aviv; Israel
International Students Art Center; Belgrade, Serbia
IMAF, International Multimedia Art Festival; Odzaci, Serbia
Alytus Biennale of Art/ Beware of Politics; Lithuania
Friktioner International Performance Art Festival; Uppsala, Sweden
XX1Gallery; Warsaw, Poland
Intervention Festival of Performance Art; U. of California, Santa Cruz, USA
Halonot, Israeli Palestinian Culture Organization; – A fund raising event
The 6th TupadaInternational Visual Performance Festival; Manila, Philippine
Mamutah; Ein Karem, Jerusalem
Yafa, book store and Coffee shop; Jaffa, Israel
2004-2005: Something About love / משהו על האהבה
XX1 Gallery; Warsaw, Poland
Totamto Fabriana; Bielsko Biala, Poland
Arsenal Gallery; Bialystok, Poland
Currancy International Festival of Performance; NYC, USA
Asiatopia International Performance Festival; Bangkok, Chiangmai
2003-2005: Vision / מראה
Performance Art Conference; Essen, Germany
Interaction Festival; Piotrkow Trybunaski, Poland
Artkontakt Gallery; Lublin, Poland
Arsenal Gallery; Bialystok, Poland
Krzysztofory Gallery; Krakow, Poland
Mobius Art Series; Boston, USA
Blurr, Biennale of Performance Art: Jaffa/Tel-Aviv, Israel
Social Art Forum: Paris, France
Jewish Center: Oswiecim, Poland
Lanten Theater: Philadelphia, USA
2002-2004: Home of Course / בית כמובן
Fado Events: Toronto, Canada
Fix, Festival of Performance Art; Belfast Ireland
Action Gallery; Warsaw, Poland
Interaction Festival; Piotrkow Trybunalski, Poland
Opal Gallery; Tel-Aviv, Israel
Catalyst Arts Gallery; Belfast, Ireland
Art Gallery of Hamilton: Ontario Canada
Mamu Gallery; Budapest, Hungaria
Studio Erte, International Performance Art Festival:Nove Zamsky, Slovakia
Chasama Arts Space: NYC, USA
Grodzka BWA Gallery: Lublin, Poland
Idea Congress 07: Hong Kong
2001-2010: Dispostion / התמצאות A Performance Series
Costume: Ronen Chen
Blurr, Biennale of Performance Art; Kibbutz Nachshon, Israel/ May 2001
Para/Site Art Space; Hong-Kong/ July, 2001
Amorph, Festival of Performance Art; Hellsinki, Finland/ Sept. 2001
Festival Mettre en Scene; Quimper, France/ Nov. 2001
Fado events; Toronto, Canada/ Oct. 2002
Fix, Festival of Performance Art: Belfast, Ireland/ Dec. 2002
Tirana Biennale of Art; Albania/ Sep. 2003
Grodzka BWA Gallery; Lublin, Poland/ May, 2009
Tel Aviv Biennale of Art; Celebration of 100 years to the city of TA; Naveh Tzedek,
TA,Israel/ Sep. 2009
Oswiencim Jewish Center; A Celebration of its 10th Anniversary; Poland/ Sep. 2010
1999-2000 , 2016: Rest / באה מנוחה ליגע
Sound: Joseph Mar-Chaim Constructions: Yuval Kedem Bedding: Nirit Anijar
Costume: Hadass Gertman
Dizengoff Shopping Mall, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Blurr, Biennial of Performance Art
Peroformance Arts center, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Israel Fetival, 2016; Jerusalem Theater
1997-1998: View / נוף
In collaboration with my daughter Yasmin Davis
Sound: Joseph Mar-Chaim
The Janko Dada Museum of Art; Ein Hod, Israel
1991-2011, 2023, 2024: Sacrifice / עקידה
Performance in Kibbutz Settlements, Galleries in Israel and abroad
A partial list: The Israel Museum of Art, Jerusalem, Israel
The Haifa Museum of Contemporary Art, Israel
The Cahana Residence Museum, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Efrat Gallery, Tel Aviv – On the occasion of fund raising for battered women
Shenkin Garden, Tel-Aviv. In a rally on International Women’s Day
The Villa, Contemporary Art Cener – On the occasion as an exhibition of Israeli Arabs and Jews
Al Baqa Center, Women gathering from Mag’del-Kroum; Jaffa, Israel
The Kuhsthalle, Budapest, Hungary
The 5th Asian Performance Art Series + Shinshu Summer Seminar 2000: Macau, Hong-Kong, and Negoya, Tokyo, Nagano in Japan
The 8th International Performance Art Festival, “Castle of Imagination”; Ustka, Slupsk, Sopot, Gdansk, Poland
The International Experimental and Performance Art Festival; St. Petersburg, Russia
Para/Site Art Space; Hong-Kong
Navink 2001, Performance-Art Festival; Minsk, Belarus
Amorph, Festival of Performance Art; Hellsinki, Finland
Festival Mettre en Scene; Quimper, France
Interaction Festival; Piotrkow Trybunalski, Poland
Catalyst Arts Gallery; Belfast, Ireland
Artkontak Gallery; Lublin, Poland
Performing The World Conference; Long Island, USA
Chasama Arts Space; NYC, USA
Tupada Action and Media Art, 2009/The 6th Tupada International Visual Performance Festival; Manila, Philippines
Visible Sounds, 2010, Interrelationships among Music, the Visual Arts and the Performing Arts-An international conference/ a collaboration between Bezalel Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Jerusalem and Academy of Music and Dance, Jerusalem, Israel
The revised and renewed Sacrifice:
From Memory to Memory and Independance; T”A Tarbut Kiryat Ha`Melacha, Tel Aviv, 2023
From Memory to Memory and Independance; T”A Tarbut Kiryat Ha`Melacha, Tel Aviv, 2023
JinYue Children`s Art Museum, ChengDu, China, 2024
1996: Whaoo / ואוו
Sound: Joseph Mar-Chaim Construction: Jerry Mc’Nab Fenomana
Festival of Performance; Jerusalem, Israel
1994: Breath / שאיפה
Video: Alon
Eilat Tel Aviv Museum of Art, a series of performances; Israel
1990: Woman of the Pots / אישה מן הכדים
In collaboration with Daniel Davis and our 2 children: Shahar and Yasmin Percussion: Noam Ha’levi Costume: Tali Ha’levi
The Israel Museum of Art, a series of performances; Jerusalem, Israel
Tel-Hai 90, a Contemporary Art event, a series of performances; Israel
1989: The Cry / זעקה
The Peace Frontier, International Symposiom for Sculpture and Painting, Center of Art, Givat Haviva, Israel
1988: The Green line / Searches for a stage / הקו הירוק / מחפש במה
In Collaborations with Richard Flanz
Bougrashov Gallery, To Mark 1 year to the Intifada לציון שנה לאינתיפאדה, Tel Aviv
Shelter 209, Tel Aviv, Israel
1986: On Getting High / מקום אחר
in collaboration with Dr. Richard Flanz-Poet.
Visual Design: Yecheskel Yardeni Sound: Joseph Mar-Chaim Movement consultant: Ronit land
The Israel Festival 86, The Jerusalem Theater; Israel
1985: A Tribute (to Peace) / מחווה לשלום
Nizana Terminal, Israel
1984: To Life / לחיים
Environment: Daniel Davis Movement consultant: Ronit land
80 years of Israeli Sculpture, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
1983: Salute / הצדעה
Environment: Daniel Davis Movement consultant: Ronit land
Tel-Hai 83, a Contemporary Art event, Israel
1982: Private Party / חגיגה פרטית
Israel Independence Day celebrations; Dizengoff street, Tevl Aviv
1981: Ms. Davis / גב’ דייויס
Visual Design:Daniel Davis Movement consultant: Ronit land
The Acre Festival of Theatre, Israel
Julie M. Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel
Tel-Hai 83, a Contemporary Art event, Israel
1980: Sky / שמיים
Movement consultant: Ronit land
The Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel
The Haifa Museum of Art, Israel
The Kibbutz Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel
1979: Walking On a Thin Line / הליכה על קו דק
Movement consultant: Ronit land
Israel Museum of Art, Jerusalem
At the outset, my performance were presented in front of diverse audiences out of ideological and social intentions. These shows were
performed only in Israel. They were usually made known with the title: “meeting -Image” (מפגש – דימוי) together with specification of the location.
1978: Performance at “Meitzag 78” (curatur Gideon Ofrat), Artists` House, Tel Aviv
1977: Performance for the Ashdod Port Workers, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Performance at “Meizag 76” (curator Gideon Ofrat), Artists` House, Tel Aviv
Performance at the “New Faces” exhibition, Sarah Gilat Gallery, Jerusalem
1976:
Performance at the “9 Works + A Performance” exhibition, Julie M. Gallery, Tel-Aviv –
also: youth centers, commuity centers, Kibbutzim and private home gatherings, performances at B`nei Brith Clubs, new immigrant centers, old age homes
1975-1976: Performance at Beit Ha’Gefen, cultural center for Arabs and Jews, Haifa
1975:
Performances at the “Open Workshop” (curator: Yona Fischer), The Israel
Museum of Art, Jerusalem
Performances at Tzavta, Jerusalm
Performance at the Artist’s House, Jerusalem
Performance at Sara Gilat Gallery, Jerusalem
Performance at Debel Gallery, Jerusalem
Performance at Graphics 13.5 Gallery, Haifa
1974: Performances at Technion Institute of Techonology, Haifa
1973:
The 1st performance – In the Bezalel Yard at 17:00 hours
Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, in Jerusalem
The 2nd Performance – at the old Bezalel building, lecture hall.
Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, in Jerusalem