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
2019, Milk Flow, Biet Henkin Gallery, Kfar Yehoshua
Visions of Place, Burke Gallery, Plattsburgh, New York, U.S.A.
Belonging, Dubai Design District, Dubai, U.A.E.
Limitless, The Gallery at The Walled Off Hotel, Bethlehem, The Palestinian Authority
2018, What Is Pyramida Doing Here?, Pyramida Gallery, Haifa 1948, Haifa City’s Museum, Haifa
House Houses, The Gallery at The Walled Off Hotel, Bethlehem, The Palestinian Authority
2017, Self Collecting, Beit Hageffen Gallery, Haifa
Third Identity, CAP Kuwait, Kuwait
Ingathering, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel-Aviv
2016, Roots of Identity, Art on 56th Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Palestinian Art, B.O.P Art Gallery, Bethlehem, The Palestinian Authority
The Winners 2015, Herzelya Museum of Contemporary Art, Herzelya
Drawings, Noga Gallery, Tel-Aviv
2015, The Museum Presents Itself 2, Tel-Aviv Museum, Tel-Aviv
The Palestinian Arab House (Haifa 1860-1930), Haifa City Museum, Haifa
Visions of Place, Stedman Gallery, New Jersey, USA
SummerSet, Noga Gallery, Tel-Aviv
2014, Portraits, Shinkar Gallery, Ramat Gan
Wonderland, Espace Oscar-Niemeyer, Paris, France
Wisdom of Crowds, Beit Hageffen Gallery, Haifa
Profile Is Aggression Too, Gallery -1, Tel-Aviv
2013, Galilee Paint Art Fair 2013, Hatzour Hglileet
Realytizm, Grand Art Gallery, Haifa
Wonderland, The German Bundestag, Berlin, Germany
2012, Spring 2012, MECA: Middle East Center for the Arts, New Jersey, USA
48-67, The House of Culture & Arts Gallery, Nazareth
2011, Certified Copy, Beit Hageffen Gallery, Haifa
The Armory Show, New York City, USA
Winners of 2010, Ramat Gan Museum, Ramat Gan
2010, July, Noga Gallery, Tel-Aviv
Window to Reality, Haifa Museum, Haifa
Dream a Reality, Pyramid Gallery, Haifa
Fresh Paint, Art Fair 3, Tel-Aviv
Following the Chocolate Soldier, Shinkar Gallery, Ramat Gan
2009, Men in the Sun, Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art, Israel
MFA Exhibition, the Dr. Hecht Art Center, Haifa University
2007, Portrait, Beit Hageffen, Haifa
2006, A Different World, Sawa Gallery, Shfaraam
2005, Alumni Exhibition, The Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy
2002, Alumni Exhibition, The Art Department, Haifa University, Haifa
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