Michael Halak

B. 1975

 

Michael Halak’s art moves along the frontier between hyperrealism and conceptualism. The illusion of reality represented on canvas may be seductively beautiful and perfect, but equally conveys feelings of disruption and disintegration. The perfectly constructed and executed works depict landscapes, feeling, often impermanence, hybridity, entrapment or categorisation. Halak plays with our perception to make us feel what he feels, to experience his reality: a life in transition, in a place that is not really his. 

 

After studying Fine Arts at Haifa University, Halak won a residence scholarship to attend the Florence Academy of Art, Italy in 2005.  He graduated with an MFA from Haifa University in 2009. Halak has exhibited extensively internationally across the Middle East, Europe, and the USA. Halak has received several awards including the Ministry of Culture and Sports for contemporary artists (twice) and the Rappaport prize for a young painter amongst other accolades. Halak’s art can be found in several public and private collections.

 

EDUCATION
2007-2009, MFA, the Art Department, University of Haifa

2005, Traditional Art Training session, The Florence Academy of Art, Italy

2002-2004, Art teacher’s certificate, University of Haifa

1999-2002, bachelor’s degree in Archaeology and Fine Art, University of Haifa

1996-1998, Graphic Design, Western Galilee College, Wizzo College Branch

 

ACADEMIA
2009, Drawing and Painting lecturer, the Art Department, Haifa University

2009, Drawing and Painting lecturer, Education Wing, Haifa Museum of Art

2000-2008, Production Assistant, the Art Gallery, University of Haifa

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2021, God Cares For The Little Things, Umm el-Fahm Art Gallery

2012, Faces and Landscapes, Tel-Aviv Museum, Tel-Aviv

2013, Territory, Oranim Cllage Gallery, Oranim

2014, Cracks, Noga Gallery of Contemporary Art, Tel-Aviv

2017, Memories from The Future, Noga Gallery of Contemporary Art, Tel-Aviv

2018, Motion Trap, Idris artists space gallery, Tel-Aviv  

2021, Terra Un-Ferma (Dual with Samah Shihadi), Tabari Art Space, Dubai, U.A.E. 

2021, God Cares For The Little Things, Umm El- Fahem Art Gallery, Israel

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2002, Alumni exhibition, The Art Department, Haifa University, Haifa

2005, Alumni exhibition, The Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy

2006, A Different World, Sawa Gallery, Shfaraam

2007, Portrait, Beit Hageffen, Haifa

2009, MFA Exhibition, the Dr. Hecht Art Center, Haifa University

2009, Men in the sun, Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art, Israel

2010, Following the chocolate soldier, Shinkar Gallery,Ramat Gan

2010, Fresh paint art fear 3, Tel-Aviv

2010, Dream a reality, Pyramid Gallery, Haifa

2010, Window to reality, Haifa Museum, Haifa

2010, July, Noga Gallery, Tel-Aviv

2011, Winners of 2010, Ramat Gan Museum, Ramat Gan

2011, The Armory Show, New York City, USA

2011, Certified Copy, Beit Hgeffen Gallery, Haifa

2012, 48-67, The House of Culture & Arts Gallery, Nazareth

2012, Spring 2012, MECA: Middle East Center for the Arts, New Jersey, USA

2013, Wonderland, The German Bundestag, Berlin, Germany

2013, Realytizm, Grand Art Gallery, Haifa

2013, Galilee Paint Art Fair 2013, Hatzour Hglileet

2014, Profile Is Aggression Too, Gallery -1, Tel-Aviv

2014, Wisdom of Crowds, Beit Hageffen Gallery, Haifa

2014, Wonderland, Espace Oscar-Niemeyer, Paris, France

2014, Portraits, Shinkar Gallery, Ramat Gan

2015, SummerSet, Noga Gallery, Tel- Aviv

2015, Visions of Place, Stedman Gallery, New Jersey, USA

2015, The Palestinian Arab House (Haifa 1860-1930), Haifa City Museum, Haifa

2015, The Museum Presents Itself 2, Tel-Aviv Museum, Tel-Aviv

2016, Drawings, Noga Gallery, Tel-Aviv

2016, Palestinian Art, B.O.P Art Gallery, Bethlehem, The Palestinian Authority

2016, The Winners 2015, Herzelya Museum of Contemporary Art, Herzelya

2016, Roots of Identity, Art on 56th Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon

2017, Ingathering, Tel Aviv museum of art, Tel-Aviv

2017, Third Identity, CAP Kuwait, Kuwait

2017, Self collecting, Beit Hageffen gallery, Haifa

2018, House Houses, The Gallery at The Walled Off Hotel, Bethlehem,The Palestinian Authority

2018, 1948, Haifa City’s Museum, Haifa

2018, What Is Pyramida Doing Here?, Pyramida Gallery, Haifa

2019, Limitless, The Gallery at The Walled Off Hotel, Bethlehem, The Palestinian Authority. 

2019, Belonging, Dubai Design District, Dubai, U.A.E.

2019, Visions of Place, Burke Gallery, Plattsburgh, New York, U.S.A.

2019, Milk Flow, Biet Henkin Gallery, Kfar Yehoshua

 

AWARDS

2016, Artist Directed Grant by Mrs. and Mr. Rosenblatt, USA

2015, The Ministry of Culture and Sport Prize for contemporary artist

2011, The Rapports Award for Young Israeli Artist, Tel-Aviv Museum

2010, The Young Artist Award 2010, Ministry of Culture and Sport

2009, MFA Distinction scholarship, Haifa University

2007, Distinction scholarship, Haifa University

2005, Residency scholarship in Florence, A.M. Al Qattan Foundation, Ramallah

 

COLLECTIONS

Amos Schoken Collection, Tel Aviv

Dubi Shiff Collection, Tel Aviv

Collection of the Rappaport family, Switzerland

Collection of Joseph and Ariella Lipschitz, Herzelya

Ari & Anne Rosenblatt Collection, Los Angeles, USA

Collection of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art

Collection of Jerry and Daphne Jacowitz, New Jersey, USA

Bank Hapoalim Collection

Bank of Palestine Collection

Collection of George Al Ama, Bethlehem

DAP Collection, Beirut, Lebanon

Private collections in Palestine and internationally

 

SELECTED PRESS

2022, Michael Halak, Combinations, April 2022, Master Painters - International Artist Magazine, USA

2021, Stir World, Michael Halak and Samah Shihadi tell tales of their land through a hyperrealist lens

2014, Wall Street International, Michael Halak: Cracks