THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
6-Friday, July 8, 1966
A Man and His Art
By NATHAN ZIPRIN
Editor, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate
In a flat in Greenwich Village,
New York City's colorful artistic
colony, a quiet man is engaged in
the process of creativity. He is the
well-known Israeli artist Motke
Blum, now visiting the United
States. Blum has been acclaimed
for his gouaches, for his mosaics
and for his jewelry. He is at home
in each medium, for each is an out-
let for his artistic expression.
Recently, his gouaches were ac-
claimed at an UNESCO exhibit and
a one-man show in Washington,
D.C. This led to his being offered
representation by the I.F.A. Galle-
ry in the nation's capital. His mos-
aics have also been shown at the
Smithsonian Institute, where they
made an enviable impact.
The important thing about Blum
is tht he seeks not to create Israel
art-if there is such a thing. He
frowns upon "commercialism" and
"sentimentality" in art.
"It makes no difference where
an artist comes from," he says.
"The important thing is his art.
Of course, his culture and his en-
vironment are reflected in many
ways in his paintings. But when
he creates, he should strive to
create meaningful art in the uni-
versal tongue that is peculiarly
the artist's."
Blum looks forward to the emer-
gence of a new art in Israel-an
art; that is in keeping with his own
universal concepts.
Blum is a quiet man, a big man
in more ways than one way who
paints with an emotional serenity
that has the mark of poetry. And
yet, his life's experience come
through, albeit devoid of senti-
mentality.
A Romanian by birth, Blum es-
caped from forced labor in 1944.
That year, he settled in Palestine
and became a member of Kibbutz
Avuka. He has seen the devastating
cruelty of the Nazis and the de-
struction of humanity in what used
to be called modern warfare. And
he has seen his friends, longing for
haven in Zion, machine-gunned and
drowning as their torpedoed boats
sank after them into the watery
to joy the Safety Plus
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abyss. The sinking boats have been
haunting him ever since and they
have become part of his art. His
gouaches of boats are world-fa-
mous. There are happy boats and
sad boats, optimistic boats and
boats that seem to be sailing no-
where. And yet the quality of his
work is such that it creates a bond
between the painting and the view-
er that cannot easily be sundered.
In 1955, he participated in a
UNESCO course-conducted by
the renowned Prof. Theodor Or-
selli, director of the Ravenna
Academy of Arts-on the resto-
ration of ancient mosaics. This
influenced the development of
modern mosaics in Israel and se-
cured for Blum the reputation as
one of his country's leading prac-
titioner of the mosaic art form.
His mosaics and restorations can
be viewed in many of Israel's
public buildings.
Blum is an experimenter, always
searching, testing new forms, new
media, new means for self-expres-
sion and creativity through art. He
wants to lead in what he hopes
will become an artistic movement
in this field. For Motke Blum is
not just another painter of pic-
tures. He is a total artist who does
credit to his homeland and to the
art world.
Habimah to Fight for End
to Censors' Ban on Play by
Accused Collaborator
Bonn Ambassador's Criticism Causes `Awkward Feeling'
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
JERUSALEM - Dr. Rolf Pauls,
the West German ambassador to
Israel, left Tuesday for a seven-
week home leave for consultations
with the Bonn Foreign Ministry
over recent developments causing
new difficulties in relations be-
tween the two countries. Asher
Ben-Nathan, Israel's ambassador to
West Germany, arrived here Tues-
day for a similar home leave and
consultations.
What observers termed an "awk-
ward feeling" in those relations
reached a new peak because of a
speech by Dr. Pauls last week at
the Tel Aviv Fair in which he
criticized Israel for its recent
statement of support for the Oder
Neisse Line as the permanent
boundary between Germany and
postwar Poland. The issue is a
sensitive one in Bonn.
Dr. Pauls also said that Israel
had failed to recognize its "debt
of gratitude" to West Germany.
Dr. Pauls also said that Ger-
many no longer needed to be re-
garded with caution as a member
of the family of civilized nations.
His speech evoked sharp criticism
in Israel and continued to be a
cause of irritation among Israelis.
Israeli newspapers, commenting
on Dr. Paul's home leave, noted
that this was his fifth trip home
for lengthy stays since his arrival
a year ago. His functions will
again be assumed by Dr. Alex-
ander Toeroek who will be acting
charge d' affaires.
It was learned reliably that the
Israeli government does not in-
tend to bring up the- issue of Dr.
Pauls' speech with West German
officials, either here or in Bonn.
Despite pressures of left-wing mem-
bers of the coalition, the govern-
ment has decided to let the matter
pass without any official reaction.
In Bonn, Gunther von Hase,
the West German government
press spokesman, said emphatic-
ally Tuesday that Dr. Pauls had
expressed the opinions and pol- content of the Pauls speech were
icy of the federal government in well-balanced.
his speech at the Tel Aviv Fair.
Von Hase made his comment in
IF YOU TURN THE
reply to a question from a Jewish
Telegraphic Agency correspondent
about the West German govern-
UPSIDE DOWN YOU WON'T
ment's reaction to criticism in
FIND A FINER WINE THAN
Israel against Dr. Pauls' address.
'IT'S'il
The spokesman said that the
federal government identified it-
self completely with Dr. Pauls' re-
marks and that government offi-
cials felt that the formulation and
radAierd,
Milan Wineries,. Detroit, Mich.
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TEL AVIV (JTA) - A spokes-
man for Habimah, Israel's major
theatrical company, said here Sun-
day night that the company would
53. Sao Paulo
seek immediate authorization from
54. Singapore
the Israel Film and Theater Cen-
55. Stockholm
sorship Board to present the play,
56. Stuttgart
"The Good Life," which was
57. Sydney
banned by the board last week
58. Teheran
because the Belgian author of the AJCommittee Leaders
59. Tokyo
drama, Felicien Marceau, had been Talk With Eban in Israel
60. Tripoli
accused of cooperating with the
TEL AVIV (JTA) - President
61. Vienna
Nazis over a period of 15 years.
Morris Abram of the American
62. Zurich
The Habimah spokesman said Jewish Committee, and Judge
that the decision to go ahead with Theodore Tannenwald, chairman
the presentation of the play was of the group's committee on Israel,
Number 63 is probably the best reason of all. It's the gracious and per-
made because "Marceau was ex- were guests at a luncheon given
sonal attention you'll receive wherever you fly on our world-wide system.
them
by
Foreign
Minister
Abba
onerated." He said that the deci-
If you prefer Kosher Food, for example, just let us know when making
sion was based on information Eban Tuesday. They reviewed with
your reservations. It's as easy as calling your Travel Agent or the Lufthansa
furnished by the Israel Foreign the foreign minister some of
office nearest you.
Israel's foreign relations.
Ministry.
United Nations Political Under-
In a report released Sunday
secretary Ralph Bunche was ex-
night, the foreign ministry said
pected to arrive in Israel this week
German Airlines
that Marceau had worked for
and was scheduled to confer with
the state radio and several news-
1242 Washington Blvd.
Prime Minister Levi Eshkol and
Detriot 26, Michigan. WOodward 3-6250
papers during the German occu-
Foreign Minister Abba Eban.
pation of Belgium and fled to
France after the Second World
War.
While he was tried in absentia
in Belgium and sentenced to 15
years imprisonment, the French
authorities did not consider him a
collaborator and granted him
French citizenship.
Do You Know That Union Tire Supplies
The foreign ministry report
Tire Dealers Throughout the Entire
noted that a general amnesty went
into effect in Belgium in 1962 par-
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doning all but actual Nazi crimi-
nals, and Marceau's works have
been performed since throughout
Belgium.
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Madrid Semitics Scholars
Take Study Tour of Israel
JERUSALEM (JTA) - Twelve
scholars from Madrid University's
department of Semitics arrived
Monday for a two-week study tour,
the first of its kind. They are
guests of the Central Institute for
Israel-Spain Relations.
Father Peral, leader of the
group, stressed the need for the
department's scholars to "keep in
touch with the land and the people
of the Hebrew language."
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