ARCHITECTURAL PORTRAITS - Eli Matityahu

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In his book " Architectural Portraits "Matityahu sees, captures, and then reinterprets architectural shapes with a deep respect for their creators. his work is different from the usual commissioned documentary style of architectural photography. His mostly upward gaze is a sign that he feels humbled in front of these monuments and remains respectful of the modernist architects' imagination, art and genius. In doing so, he also offers the viewer a fascinating, exciting and extraordinary experience Dr. Nissan N. Perez - Curator, photography historian

These are truly perfect portraits of architecture. Architectural Portraits - what I see is a certain aesthetic and a sense of mystery that draws me in. It does so through the lines and curves shaped by the light, or darkness that leads to the light. There, I find the essence of the photograph that lies just beyond the light, just beyond the image itself. These are truly perfect portraits of architecture.

Joel Tjintjelaar. The Netherlands. Fine-art photographer, workshop educator, author, and photography software developer.

An art form that strives for perfection. Striving for perfection requires courage and Matityahu knows how to dare. In the course of my work on this book, I sifted through many dozens of black-and-white photographs, all of them executed with geometrical precision and beauty. I could sense Matityahu leading me into a labyrinth of shapes and shadows, offering a secret code by which to decipher a new compositional order that creates fascinating, novel spaces. Suspending our sense of time and place, Matityahu directs his camera at places that escape our attention, photographing the secret life concealed between concrete walls and metal beams, reflections and textures, plates of glass and sheets of stone. Each of Matityahu’s photographed buildings itself constructs perfectly build photographs as if they were human. Matityahu waits, like a skilled hunter, for the magic moment in which the secret will be revealed. The combination of his gaze, sensitivity and excellent post-production skills creates a new, complex, and highly engaging aesthetic experience. An art form that strives for perfection.

Eldad Rafaeli - Artist, photographer, curator.

These portraits are artworks in their own right. Matityahu photographs buildings with unique architectural qualities. He captures a portrait that brings out the personality of the building as a whole. His understanding of the DNA of the designs he photographs contributes to the quality of his work. Matityahu’s works respond to the contemporary sculptural architecture characteristic of the late twentieth century, of unique artist-architects such as Zaha Hadid, Santiago Calatrava, Frank Gehry and others. Matityahu's compositions offer magnificent, fresh and fascinating perspectives, emphasizing and isolating the most important and characteristic elements of the buildings he chooses to portray. These portraits are artworks in their own right.

Prof. Michael (Micha) Levin - Historian of art and contemporary architecture

Matityahu's work is "art for art's sake," free of any bias or external considerations. The contemplation of this collection reveals Matityahu as a serious artist who dares to present a unique, original, innovative, and independent artistic conception. The architecture photographs, the "mother of all arts," and his unique approach make him a singular artist, breaking new ground in this field and an honorary member of the international Modernist scene. Any viewer of his works is sure to enjoy an aesthetic and emotional experience of the highest kind.

Dr. Yaacov Maoz - a scholar of the philosophy of aesthetics, writer, and poet.

Thank you!

About the book

Architectural Portraits | Eli Matityahu

Curator and consultant Dr Nissan N. Perez | Graphic design Shmulik Neto | Professional advice Eldad Refaeli

First edition-2022 limited 500 copies for collectors. Printed in triton by Ofset Yapimevi Istanbul.

Published by EM publishers | Size 9.5x12.6" | 96 Pages | ISBN-978-965-92942-06

The regular second edition was printed and published by IngramSpark-2022. Size 8.5x11". production by EM Publishers and ״SimpleStory״.

EM Publishers | Pob. 53175, Jerusalem, 9153101, Israel | elimati.ap@gmail.com

ISBN 978-965-92942-1-3

"Architectural Portraits"

This debut book presents a selection of my works created between 2015 and 2020. The works reflect my passion for abstract architectural photography. The viewer is invited to contemplate a personal interpretation of architectural forms worldwide and participate in a visual-emotional experience. The selected works focus on international, iconic, contemporary, and groundbreaking architecture, of the great architects. which inspire me. I took the photographs in the course of my travels around the world. For me, the impressive structures I photographed recall human portraits with unique characteristics. I, therefore, chose to call the book "Architectural Portraits".

As a photography artist, architecture as an important, innovative, creative, and bold art form, challenges me to create uncommon images that conceal a secret hidden within the photographed objects. It inspires me to produce a visual experience that reflects my interpretation of the object while allowing viewers to interpret it independently. The works in the book are the result of a process that begins with the photographed image, which then undergoes complex editing stages. The original images were processed using an abstract-minimalist and personal emotional language that creates a story.

The story's elements, as well as the image's form, light and shadow, lighting, texture, and drama, span a spectrum between absolute black and absolute white. These components grant the creation a new appearance that expresses how I see it in my mind's eye. Creating the novel image involves different means, such as erasing a distracting background, enhancing unique lighting, and heightening dramatic effects, using shades of black and white. The resulting work reveals new, uncommon aspects of architectural elements that do not appear at first sight. It highlights the unique character of the image, regardless of the colour or surroundings of the photographed object.

These works are the fruit of my ongoing personal development as an artist. For years, I have drawn inspiration from photographers like Ansel Adams, Michel Kenna, Koudelka, H. Sugimoto, S. Salgado, E. Steichen, and others. My photography guides were: Eldad Refaeli; Nissan Perez; Eyal Landesman; Joel Tjintjelaar; Offer Goldfarb; Moshe Ronen; Baruch Gian and others.

The series of photographs in the book constitutes a partial summary of many years of artistic work, inviting viewers to a personal encounter and introducing them to the world of contemporary architecture. I drew inspiration from the unique architectural works by architect Zaha Hadid, in homage to whom I dedicated a chapter in the book.

The book was published with the help and support of family and friends. I am deeply grateful to them all, and particularly to: Dr. Nissan N.Perez, Photography historian and curator, who consulted and assisted me in selecting the works and deciding on the sequence in the book; Shmulik Neto-Cohen, graphic designer/producer designed the book skillfully and creatively and assisted in its publication. Eldad Rafaeli, mentor, photographer, curator, and editor, who has been accompanying my work for many years; Varda Matityahu, my wife, who has accompanied me and is my trusted consultant; "Architectural Portraits" is the first book in a series of photography books planned to be published by me soon.

Eli Matityahu

Born in 1950, lives and works in Jerusalem.

Matityahu developed an original personal language for photography and editing, that presents the viewer with an aesthetic work in shades of black and white. He engages in a creative dialogue with the world of contemporary architecture close to his heart, which fascinates and inspires him. His works present edited photographs of contemporary architectural elements, which are a tribute to the genius of the great architects worldwide.

Matityahu's artistic conception is emotional, dramatic, abstract, minimalist, creates a feeling, tells a story of form light־shadow, hides־reveals secrets, intrigues, and stimulates the imagination. His work enhances the subject and is characterized by deep black-and-white tones with High contrast.

Editing the images is an integral part of Matityahu's creative process. During editing, the original photographs undergo a process of post-processing. The result creates a new personality and character, which emphasizes the image's unique characteristics. As a result, this work is different from the original and has a new look and interpretation.

"When I shoot, I look for the frame that will express the essence of the photographed object. A-frame that will excite me, captivate the viewer, and make him a visual-emotional experience that will be remembered in his memory for a long time." ( E.M.)

Curator Dr. Ziva Geva Levin referred to Matityahu's work in one of the exhibitions and wrote as follows:

"The camera for Matityahu serves as a painting brush and is the beginning of the creative process. After the shooting, Eli processes the image as he sees it in his mind's eye.

In his work, Matityahu is the architect, interior designer, builder, and lighting designer. At the end of the process, the work becomes a piece of art.

Eli turns the scene into a dramatized drama, leading the viewer to the front of the stage and causing him to experience excitement from the encounter with the work. Thus, when the viewer leaves the meeting, he will feel different from entering it."

There is no doubt that Matityahu's perfect works are impressive pieces of art worthy of praise". (Z. Levin)

Matityahu's works have been exhibited worldwide, including at the Louvre Museum in Paris, published in international journals; some have participated in and won international competitions.

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