BIOGRAPHY

“Azaz has no emotional or sentimental attitude to materials – he conceives in whatever material he uses.”
Grosvenor Gallery, London, 1965

KEY DATES

Here you can view a timeline of key dates and events in the career of Nehemia Azaz.

1923	Born Berlin. October 9, taken to Palestine at the age of 3 months. Educated Palestine.
1946	Apprenticed to stonemason, Bologna, Italy.
1947	Apprenticed to sculptor & stained-glass maker, Amsterdam, Holland.
1949-50	Studied part-time at Grand Chaumiere, Paris, France.
1953-4	Studied ceramic chemistry, Holland.
1954-5	Worked in pottery – London, UK.
1955	Ceramic sculptures included in exhibition with LS Lowry and Josef Herman at Wakefield Art Gallery.
1955-59	Founded & managed “Harsa” ceramic art factory and training school, Beersheva; designed forms and glazes for production.
1957	First architectural artwork, using local and found materials, Beersheva.
1960	First large scale architectural art commission to receive international media attention, Sheraton Hotel, Tel Aviv.
1962/3	First architectural art commissions in USA – Spertus Museum of Judaica and Loop Synagogue, Chicago.
1963-65	Artist in Residence, Carmel College, Oxford, UK.
1965	Established studio base in UK.
1972/3	Created large scale sculpture for The Israeli Lounge, The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.
1965-2008	Lived & worked in the UK, whilst undertaking commissions in Israel, US and Europe.
2008	Died 28 October.

Exhibitions – Group & One Man Shows

1955	Wakefield Gallery, Wakefield – with LS Lowry and Josef Herman
1956	Exhibition of Art Ceramics; Rina Gallery, Jerusalem. With Pnina Amir and Chana Frank
1956	Mikra Studio, Tel-Aviv
1956	The Traclin Art Gallery, Haifa
1959	The Traclin Art Gallery, Haifa
1959	Chemerinski Gallery, Tel-Aviv
1960	Beit Haam, Beersheva
1965	Grosvenor Gallery, London – Solo
1966	Galerie Semiha Huber, Zurich; Camden Arts Centre, London
1967	Galerie Artek, Helsinki
1987	Metaphors in Bronze and Wood;International Contemporary Art Fair, London
1987	Metaphors in Bronze and Wood; Mabat Art Gallery, Tel Aviv
1994	Julius Gottlieb Gallery, Oxfordshire

Exhibitions – Contributor

1958	Forms of Israel, USA Touring show, American Crafts Council (1958-60)
1959	XVII Concorso Nazionale Della Ceramica, Faenza
1959	Biennale of Sculpture in the Open Air, Museum of Modern Art, Haifa – Curator: Pola Eichenbaum
1962	Everyday Arts and Crafts of Israel, past and present, Oakland Public Museum – Selected by: Judah L. Magnes Museum
1965	Fifty years of Sculpture: Some aspects 1914 – 1964: Grosvenor Gallery, London
1966	Experiment in Form, Grosvenor Gallery, London
1966	Sculpture in a Civic Setting, Swiss Cottage Library, Hampstead Festival – Organised by Jesse Watkins and Charles Spencer
1967	Pavilion of Judaism, Expo 1967, Montreal
1969	An Exhibition of Outdoor Sculpture, Blenheim Palace Garden centre, Woodstock
1973	Summer Exhibition, Villa Mairea, Noormark, Finland
1987	The Beginnings of Israeli Ceramics, Herziliya Museum of Art
2007	Pottery works, 1956-1966, Harsa, Beit Aharon Kahana, Ramat Gan
2013	On the Flip Side, Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics Center, Tel Aviv-Yaffo
2020	Requiem to Harsa, Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics Center, Tel Aviv-Yaffo

Nehemia Azaz’s international career spanned several continents, where he was also known as Henri, Nechemia, Nehemiah and NH Azaz.

or make contact at:

Email: info@nehemiaazaz.com