Born in Marrakesh,
Morocco in 1953, Raphael Abecassis lives in the South of Israel, where
creates vibrant and truly festive scenes of Jewish life. Each of his
creations is one of a kind, telling stories of the rich culture and
religion of the Jewish people, and enlightening collectors and art fans
around the world with the symbolism and history of Judaism through a
variety of mediums, brought to life with a palette of glorious colors!
He works extensively with the decoupage medium, meticulously building
layers into 3-dimensional creations of figures, parts of Biblical verses
and religious imagery that makes him one of the most original and
distinctive masters creating art today.
As a young man, Abecassis studied art at the College of Education in
Beersheva, and soon went on to win one of the nation's most coveted
competitions, being tapped to design the official poster art for
Israel's Independence Day Celebrations in 1986 and 1991. Abecassis is
indeed a gifted "storyteller" whose image-narratives are worth well more
than a thousand words! His incredible stained glass masterwork,
"Sephardic Heritage Windows", graces the Sephardic Temple Tifereth
Israel, in Los Angeles, measuring approx. 22 feet high and made of over
6,000 pieces of glass. It tells the story of The Sephardic Jews, their
15th century expulsion from Spain, and the eventual finding of a land to
call home.
In addition to a 1992 international tour of "Odyssey of Spanish Jews" -
commissioned by Israel's Ministry of Education and Culture - Abecassis
also toured the world in 1996 with his "Jerusalem 3000" master
collection of 25 works celebrating Israel's anniversary. He has the
distinction of having his art presented to leaders and VIPs of numerous
countries around the world, and he exhibits extensively throughout the
US and Canada. Indeed, Abecassis has become the voice for a new
generation of a people with a long and incredible story to tell.