Dimitri Polak was born in 1922 in a small village near the city of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, formerly part of the USSR. In 1945 he became a member of the Union of Artists in U.S.S.R. Polak’s landscapes, while essentially figurative, tend to become poetic, composed of many memories. There is but minimal regard for such actualities as nature’s laws and the light color and rhythm of a real Mediterranean landscape. When he first came to Israel, he was baffled by the dazzling light here. He was homesick for long twilights and his first attempts to paint with the colors he used in Tashkent were disappointing. Much time elapsed before he was able to perceive the sun’s brilliance and the delicate color reflections. Polak always works hard with uncertainty and toil. He is not quick. For him, each painting is a new beginning and a search. He strives for honesty, tranquility and optimism. In recent years, Polak records his stylistic development from post impressionism and the Juif Ecole De Paris to an entirely new type of painting with a compact and highly-organized style based on architectural and geometric principles. Within the wide and clear composition, Polak’s brush strokes remain delicate and sensitive. He achieves effects of light and quietness. What characterizes his work is equilibrium, harmony and optimism. Exhibitions: 1984 Union of Artists House – Kiev USSR 1986 Safrai Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel 1997 Claude Hamon Gallery, Paris, France 1999 Art Expo, New York USA 1999 ABC Atlanta Fair USA 2000 Art21 Las Vegas USA read more