Culture
- Solo Exhibition - Harry Langbeheim
Harry Langbeheim is an artist, painter, scientist, senior executive in the Israeli biotechnology industry, and a consultant in the Israeli high-tech sector.
In his youth in Switzerland, he studied under the renowned illustrator and graphic artist Alex Diggelmann, whose graphic works are famous worldwide. "Diggelmann told me never to stop painting, even if I chose another profession for a living... I learned all my drawing skills from him. We spent a lot of time outside in nature, and he taught me to look deeply at what I wanted to paint, to understand dimensions, to create the composition on the page, to trace it with pencil, and then with ink and color." Langbeheim shares that later on, thanks to the books of Else Lasker-Schüler, the world of imagination opened up to him, bringing the understanding that one does not have to look only at a physical object to transfer it to the page; instead, one can paint what is seen through the inner eye. "This insight allowed me to explore different directions."
The beginning was a visual expression of events from Biblical stories. The miraculous, angelic world of faith, expressed through Biblical scenes in the written word, is visually revealed to the viewer in Langbeheim’s
paintings
through line and color, creating a unique fusion between the written word and
visual art.
Later, Langbeheim dives into the world of S.Y. Agnon, successfully transforming his stories into a
mesmerizing series of paintings. Agnon, known for his ability to
craft stories that delve into the human condition and the complexity of life,
takes readers into enchanting realms. In Agnon's work, human situations,
universal emotions, and feelings are expressed via the written word on paper
across many diverse stories. Through his brush, Langbeheim manages to reflect
all this complexity onto paper using line and color. These are not mere
illustrations of the stories, but an authentic and precise visual expression of
the narrative events—which initially found expression in S.Y. Agnon's words in
black and white print, and later in line and color on Langbeheim's drawing
sheets. As he puts it: "I found that there are hundreds of books and
articles interpreting Agnon's stories in writing, but almost no visual
interpretations." Langbeheim transfers Agnon's multi-dimensional
characters onto a two-dimensional page, unfolding a story that often spans
dozens of pages onto a single drawing sheet, turning black-and-white letters
into large, colorful images. This is an authentic and colorful visual
interpretation that breathes new life into the captivating and familiar stories
of S.Y. Agnon. Langbeheim successfully captures and reflects Agnon's literary
universe, the landscapes where his stories take place, and the essence of the
texts and human events with extraordinary delicacy and precision. Exhibition
viewers immerse themselves in the narrative scenes, feel the interaction
between the literary protagonists, identify with their emotions, visit the
ancient streets of Jerusalem, the mystical landscapes of Eastern Europe, and
sail to distant lands and worlds of imagination. He notes, "Before every
piece, deep research takes place. I travel to see with my own eyes the
landscapes where the story occurred. I read the story profoundly, isolate the
main scenes, and choose what to bring to the page. Throughout every creation,
there is always a dialogue between what the viewer remembers from Agnon's story
and what Langbeheim chose to put on paper, thereby creating an interaction with
the viewer that adds excitement and interest." The works showcase the
diversity and richness of Agnon's literary repertoire, in a unique
collaboration between the written word and visual art.
Dr. Galia Duchin Arieli
Global Art Gallery
13 Merkaz Ba'alei Melacha St., Tel Aviv
The exhibition runs from October 6, 2026, to November 7, 2026.
Opening: Friday, October 9, 2026, at 12:00 PM.
Stories for you more +
