There is no shortage of contemporary painters trying to immortalise the mundane realities of modern life on canvas. Israeli artist Ronit Adam goes further – she captures everything from plates of sandwiches to toothpaste tubes to tissue boxes to bags to slippers…in stone. The sculptures become little artifacts of our time that the future generations will find intriguing.

“My art is my safe heaven, my happy zone. it’s a place of tranquility, of gathering thoughts,” writes the artist. “My own private place, where I feel most complete, where I need not wear any masks. I dare not enter my creation hall if I feel less than complete or if I am in a less than happy mood or state, just as one would not enter their home with muddy shoes without wiping them clean first. When I am creating my mind is totally at ease, I feel free of burden and thoughts. And although the physical work is hard and tiring, I feel most serene and relaxed.”

Working with stone, says Ronit, has a somewhat Sisyphean side to it. It entails a lot of sanding, polishing and finishing; it sometimes seems endless and unavailing. It is Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous quote – “Art is never finished, only abandoned” – that assists the artist in deciding when to put her tools down and pronounce an art work complete. 

“My work in recent years has been influenced by the Japanese artist Hirotoshi Itoh,” continues Ronit. “His works sparked my imagination and my heart. His humour, talent and  ingenuity led me down new paths and introduced me to a new world of content and ideas. Humour is one of the foundations upon which my art rests.”

Born and raised in Israel, Ronit spent three years in America with her family as a child. It was there that she first discovered her connection with different forms of natural materials. After studying art in high school, she obtained a BA in the History of the Arts from Tel Aviv University. During the years 1989-1991, she furthered her knowledge by taking a sculpture class in Neuilly, France. She has also studied privately with esteemed teachers in their private studios – painting with Ruthie Luz, ceramics with Naomi Shalev, sculpting with France Hans and Zeev Krisher.

Links: Website (www.ronitadam.com) | Facebook (www.facebook.com/adamronit) | Saatchi Art (www.saatchiart.com/ronitadam100)

Images used with permission.