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Tedd Barr
TED BARR - As above so below - artist in residence
Painting the celestial sky brings to mind questions of the origins of life. Thoughts of conception, pregnancy and birth evoke similar wonderment of the initial moments of life. At the moment of human conception is the convergence of sperm and ovum. In the celestial realm the “big bang” is a similar unexplained fraction of infinitesimal time that represents infinite energy in a singular space area, the elements of which are beyond human perception. Human beings are designed to grasp reality on a very limited scale. We are limited by what our sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch can perceive. The micro cosmos is far too small and the galactic worlds are far too vast for our perception but a notion arises, a strange and enigmatic notion, there is a strong similarity and connection between those worlds.
Since 1995 when I began painting deep space; galaxies, quasars, blue super giants and supernovas have become my models. In recent years I started to paint a new series of painting inspired by the inner body photography of Lennart Nilsson, his depiction of human formation and the fetus in the womb.
As I explored deep space and the latest images of the HUBBLE telescope, I began to recognize a similarity between the large scale formats of the universe and the tiniest building stones of the human existence.
All that exists moves. As the electron orbits the proton, the earth swivels the Sun; the Sun orbits a central point in the Milky Way. There is nothing that stands still in the universe. There is a constant vibration that is at the core essence of existence, a vibration that has similar shape in the most miniscule worlds as in the infinite galactic realm.
In my art I try to connect those worlds. The atomic and molecular space-time bar and the star-galaxy- galaxy cluster space-time realm. I try to visualize the placements within space and the relations between celestial bodies with the emerging fingers of the new born embryo.
The main notion behind my body of works is
As above so below
Ted Barr
Ted Barr – biography
Ted Barr was born in Constance Romania and lives in Israel, he is a painter, published author, teacher, lecturer and curator. In 1980 after his release from his regular army service as a battalion commander, Barr started seven years period of studies with the Emin esoteric group based in London. His main areas of research were; Symbolism, Ancient Egypt, Numerology, mathematical relations as well as traditional academic studies. He holds an M.B.A degree in economy and marketing from the Tel Aviv University.
Barr has written several books, ‘Krombie’ - a children book and ‘Frau Gruber's Camp’ an allegory about fascism which was published in Hebrew in 2006 and translated into English in 2011
In 1995 Barr began his drawing lessons under the Israeli master Shlomo Tzafrir in Old Jaffa where his first exhibition was opened to the public in 2001.
Since then Barr has had exhibitions in New York, Montreal, Palo Alto, Guadalajara, Detroit MI., Chianciano Terme, Cannes, Paris, Istanbul, Izmir, Cheshme, Hayward,CA., Dallas TX., Miami FL. and the Burning Man festival in Nevada. A complete list of his art exhibitions appears on his website.
Barr does not sign his name on his canvases. Instead he developed a private symbol that encapsulates his esoteric studies experience, more details can be read in the article ‘Dual Eternity – Barr's symbol’ at Barr’s site:
In 2006 Barr begun his experimentation with tar, which led to the development of the multi-layered tar technique that is used in most of his paintings. A combination of tar, acrylic and oil colors with lacquer. In the deep space series there are 15-20 layers in each painting.
On August 2008 Barr created 3 glass statutes in the Swedish sculptor Olle Jonsson's studio in Alfta, Sweden, Those statues where exhibited on December 2008 at the Fusionarts museum in NYC.
On October 2008 Barr founded The Current Art Group, an international artist gathering, as a platform for artistic residency, sharing and interaction. As to May 2013 the group contains more than 4200 active members
In May 2009 Barr was invited to Guadalajara by the art teacher Mappy Wereka to deliver a workshop in order to explain his multi-layered tar technique; followed by another workshop in August 2009 in San Miguel De Allende, Mexico.
Barrs' series of paintings, Cycles of Life was exhibited in December 17, 2009 at the Gebo Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel. The series was also exhibited at the Daniel Gallery in August 2011 and the Ruth Gallery, September 2011 . In June 2010 he was invited to hold an art workshop in Hayward, CA. to explain his creative technique. On October 2010 there were 4 art events in which Ted Barr was involved; a solo exhibition at the Israeli Opera house in Tel Aviv, a group exhibition at Ward-Nasse gallery in NYC, delivery of an art workshop at the creative festival in Beit Oren and a lecture about deep space art and the multi-layered tar technique. On May 2011 Barr was invited to the Izmir Bienalle in Turkey. In September 2011 Barr exhibited at the Dacia Gallery in NYC, at the Ruth Gallery and Daniel Gallery in Tel Aviv On November 2011 Barr exhibited at the Luminarte Gallery in Dallas TX. Where he delivered an art workshop as well. On December 2011 he participated in the Art Basel Miami with the AFP Gallery from NYC. In 2012 Barr showed at the LMNT gallery Miami with which he delivered an art workshop. Barr is the curator for the current art booth at the NYC contemporary art fair on October 2012 and the River art fair during art Basel Miami on December. On January 2013 Barr curated and exhibited the UNITY show at Memoir de l’avenir gallery in Paris and exhibited in the RED show in Luminarte gallery in Dallas.
Starting April 2013 Barr initiated with collaboration of the Memoir de L’avenir gallery the Unity flags project, 4 massive art workshops for 96 children from diverse religions and nationalities in which in joint groups the children will create big flags with the theme of UNITY the participating cities are:
Jericho – Sunni Palestinians
Pardes Hana – Jews
Baka el Garbiya – Muslims
Nazareth - Christians
In August Bar is invited for lectures, workshop and show at the Kathmandu Contemporary Arts Centre in Kathmandu Nepal, and in September for the Artprize in Grand Rapids.