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 higher interest of a Secure Bank deposit OA ANNUAL. RATE 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. Here are 63 excellent reasons for flying Lufthansa 1. Amsterdam 2. Anchorage 3. Athens 4. Baghdad 5. Bangkok 6. Barcelona 7. Bonn 8. Boston 9. Bremen 10. Brussels 11. Buenos Aires 12. Calcutta 13. Chicago 14. Cologne 15. Copenhagen 16. Dakar 17. Darwin 18. Dusseldorf 19. Geneva 20. Guayaquil 21. Hamburg 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. Hanover Hong Kong Istanbul Johannesburg Karachi 27, Kingston 28. Lagos 29. Las Palmas 30. Lima 31. Lisbon 32. London 33. Madrid 34. Mexico City 35. Milan 36. Montego Bay 37. Montevideo 38. Montreal 39. Munich 40. Nairobi 41. New Delhi 42. New York 43.Nice 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. Nuremberg Palma de Mallorca Paris Philadelphia Prague Rio de Janeiro Rome Rotterdam Santiago 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- State of Michigan & Northern Ohio? doning all but actual Nazi crimi- nals, and Marceau's works have been performed since throughout Belgium. Lufthansa FACTORY WAREHOUSE SALE! BARGAIN HUNTERS • • • Time Certificates , OAKLAND NATIONAL BANK • SOUTHFIELD RD. at 10 Mile PHONE: 353-6800 • W. 9 MILE at Greenfield Rd. 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