In his multi-disciplinary practice, Israeli-born American artist Ghiora Aharoni explores complex dualities, from the intersection of religion and science to intertwined relationships of seemingly disparate cultures.
Born in Rehovot, just south of Tel Aviv, in 1969, Aharoni was raised in a home full of diverse cultures and languages. His grandfather introduced him to the central texts of Jewish mysticism at an early age, which he incorporates in his work in abstract and literal ways. Aharoni often merges sacred texts of different faiths with traditional objects, such as vintage glass beakers, icons or antique Torah finials. By combining these texts and cultural artifacts and imbuing them with new meaning, Aharoni invites us to expand our perceptions of how cultures, religions and genders are interwoven and challenges conventional norms and entrenched social constructs.
The New York-based artist has exhibited his work extensively around the globe, including at the Rubin Museum and Asia Society, New York; the Vatican Apostolic Library; Museum of Contemporary Art, London; The Jewish Museum, Amsterdam; Jewish Museum, Vienna; Museum Galleries of the Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK) in Jaipur; Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum (formerly The Victoria & Albert Museum), Mumbai, among others.
Aharoni’s work is in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Morgan Library & Museum, New York; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Musei Vaticani; National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi; and the Anu Museum, Tel Aviv, among other cultural institutions worldwide.
