Asaf Elkalai Wins the Ilana Elovic – Bezalel Prize for Excellence in the Arts 2018

Dr. Eugene Elovic and his family, together with the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design Jerusalem, announce the decision to award this prize in the field of the arts to Israeli artist Asaf Elkalai.

Asaf Elkalai was an excelling student who graduated with distinction from Bezalel’s Master of Fine Arts Degree (2017), Bezalel's Department of Photography (2014) and the Combined Teaching Program between Bezalel and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2014).

Asaf's work has been presented at exhibitions at Tel Aviv Museum, The Israel Museum in Jerusalem, The Lanserhaus Museum in Eppan, Italy, Galeria Arsenal in Poznan, Poland and Sotheby’s Gallery in London, among others.
In addition, Elkalai has participated in different projects and programs abroad, including an Artist Residency at Buffalo, New York. He also took part in Investigating Ways of Living – with Andrea Zitte in California, the EAU & GAZ Artist Residency in Italy, Aesthetics and Bias Project in Poland, and received the Culture Scholarship for Artists, Alma Center, Tel Aviv.

During his studies, Asaf formulated a unique language with the ability of inter-medium movement, which closely matches his work content and creates a correspondence between the medium and the essence with which it deals. In his work he shows structures, moves, images and actions that take place outside of the usual, commonplace and familiar linear time, with traditional perceptions alongside new techniques and architectural interventions.

His aspiration for the near future is to continue to develop the social and art education that he started during his studies at Bezalel, along with in-depth studio work to be reflected in exhibitions in Israel and abroad.

The goal of the $7,000 prize is to promote and encourage artists who are graduates of Bezalel, in memory of Ilana Elovic. Fifty-seven graduates applied for the prize – eligibility for which was limited to artists who graduated from Bezalel within the last seven years, and who are active in the field of the arts and have an extensive portfolio.
Members of the Judging Committee:
The head of the committee is Eli Petel, Head of the Fine Arts Department at Bezalel.
Members of the committee include Nogah Davidson, public representative; David Adika; Yochai Avrahami and Avi Sabach.