Ofer Lellouche

The alienness of man in the world has been a prominent theme at all times and in all cultures. Ofer Lellouche (b. 1947 in Tunis) approaches it also against the background of his own identity. It is a universal existential experience that prompts Lellouche to create his monumental woodcuts, drawings, and sculptures.

The work of the artist, who lives in Tel Aviv and Paris, is characterized by a fixation on the human form—stark naked—and on the head and face, which makes it akin to that of Alberto Giacometti or the self-portraits of Jim Dine. Facing us, his figures are mute. Despite their passivity, solely by their presence, these bodies confront us with the question of being through their shocking power and unsurpassable intensity. In their constant repetition, Lellouche’s self-portraits are a form of continuous self-reflection that comprises inner and outer perception at the same time. Reality and image alternately adapt to each other in a relationship of tension, while the artist assures himself of his own existence.

Ofer Lellouche seeks to grasp a simple inner structure in its complexity and express it by reducing it to its essence. Behind this is a basic mathematical understanding. The artist proceeds slowly, step by step: he adds when modeling with clay, or he removes or subtracts when making a woodcut. Like zero and one, black and white represent binary values that call for a clear decision for the one or the other and thus depict exclusively what is substantial—which, however may represent a reality of its own for each of us, based on our own biography and our own experiences.

“Darkness can provoke many associations, but for me it’s mostly the landscape of my childhood. The obscurity of the living room after closing the window shutters, which protected us from the heat and violence of the sun outside. To me, darkness mostly means coziness. But I know that many people associate the color black with pain, melancholy, and fear. Art should be able to express one thing and its opposite as well. But above all, the work of art is a musical score that the artist gives to the viewer to play. You should be allowed to play the way you feel: oppressive and dark, or luminous and positive. But for you to be able to play, the artist must step back.” (Ofer Lellouche)

On view at the ALBERTINA Museum from 29 June until 19 September 2023.

EXHIBITION PROGRAM 

Public guided tours (in German)
Learn about highlights and backgrounds of the exhibition in a one-hour guided tour of the exhibition.
Dates & tickets

For private or school tours, please contact our Art Education Department on weekdays between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm at +43 1 534 83 540 or .