“Yeminite Mother” by Irene Awret
ArtSpace Herndon is presenting The Art of Resilience, an exhibit showcasing the artwork of Azriel and Irene Awret. The exhibit features paintings, prints, and sculpture of Azriel and Irene, holocaust survivors and co-founders of the art colony in Safed, Israel.
The exhibit will be on display from April 11 to May 6 and the Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, April 29, from 7 to 9 pm. This is a unique opportunity to view and purchase this art for the last time in the U.S., as the collection will soon be sent to the Awret gallery reopening in Safed.
These internationally renowned artists moved to Northern Virginia in the 1980’s where they continued creating art that captures the beauty and truth of everyday life. Turning away from their own harsh experiences, the Awrets teach us, through their art, to be resilient and shake off events, which could keep us from achieving a happy and meaningful life.
Azriel, originally from Poland, and Irene, from Germany, met in 1939 at a Nazi internment camp in Mechelen, Belgium. In 1949 they moved to Israel where they founded the Safed Artist Colony. After moving to Northern Virginia in the 1980’s they continued to produce some of their best artwork together. Azriel passed away in 2011 and Irene continued to write and paint unless she passed in 2014.
Azriel’s artwork is in private collections as well as those of the Milwaukee Art Institute and the Museum of Modern Art in Haifa, Israel. Locally, he has work at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, George Mason University in Fairfax, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, along with other locations.
Irene’s artwork is in numerous collections in the United States and abroad including the Mechelen Museum of Deportation, Belgium. She has also published an autobiography “They Will Have to Catch Me First,” about her time growing up during World War II.
ArtSpace Herndon is located at 750 Center Street Herndon, VA 20170.
For more information on the exhibit and artists or to purchase sponsorships please visit www.ArtSpaceHerndon.com
