For me, the work of Joel Kass was love at first sight. His canvasses have this singular eloquence that is so particular to art, penetrating the heart,comprehensible and yet inexplicable. He was born just before the breakout of World War II in Warsaw. With his mother he flew miraculously through the German front lines to Russia and in 1948 he immigrated into Israel. He not only gives the impression of an original presence but you can feel how, in spite of the many human and artistic experiences he underwent on foreign soil, he has rooted deeply in eastern and central Europe.

      He has roots that call for an old fairy tale fantasy full of myths and symbols, which are produced again in front of our eyes in a contemporary language. He paints in a way not difficult to encounter. and in a certain way even elementary in its design as in its fantastic motivations which dictate the formal laws and highlight the poetic values. But this seemingly simple procedure was achieved but after the greatest strains, full of dissatisfaction and hard labour.

      Kass always fears to say too much. to fritter away, to loose the essence of his message or making a compromise. He has the willpower to reach for the upmost values, i.e. the expressive intensity through which truthful and deep emotions are staged. When meticulously studying the work, the power and the design are immediately noticed. as well as the important feeling for rhythm and a nearly scientific way of thinking procedure. Time and time again, the proportions in his canvasses are perfectly balanced, despite the seemingly spontaneous way. He builds on geometrical figures, which are elaborated in an extraordinary way into an harmonious unity to an object given by his fantasy. Indeed, the forms convey their own story, which is symbolically elaborated. The colours, although daring are equilibrated. The brush strokes are very personal.

      Kass paints in thick layers and realizes unique effects by sublimating the finishing touch with a very short cut and very hard brush. This gives a kind of skin full of small veins, which are always brought to rhythm. Sometimes in big batches. horizontally carved, than again vertically or in swift rounds, causing a crowd of circles which are as pure as the veins of a leaf. joel Kass recognizes that we are living in an aggressive time. However, he hates violence. We think it is normal, we know everything about the war. and nothing about peace. This brings another artistic expression about.

      The deformations, for Kass as an expressio-nist, are prompted by the irresistible urge to stress certain situations or to accentuate certain specific attitudes and give them more relief. Joel Kass is an expressionist belonging to the Latem school because of the spirit. the contents. the depth, the seriousness, but which deviates from it because of the judeo-slavic content. a more vivid colouring pallet and the biblical subjects. He takes in positions, for he is an expressionist, he commits acts. Under the sign of a constant, forged by doubt, but a constant of imperturbability. the art of Kass lives between the light and the dark. born out of human experience. purified by sufferance and with comprehension for the human shortcomings. His world. where even the icy emptiness is filled with a strong hand. covers up a thrill in a romantic way, the heartbeat of the unknown almighty.

Vice President AICA
Prof. Marcel van Jole