Leading Israeli Newspaper on Michael Rogatchi’s Art
The exhibition Dream, Memory, Love by the Finnish-Jewish painter Michael Rogatchi project a very powerful impact on the audience. It cast moral values on the Rogatchi’s canvases with great power. It keeps people attached to the paintings up to degree which is quite rarely seen in the modern art.
Michael Rogatchi (C). Bolero composition. Part 2. 2000-2002.
Some of his paintings – as big and powerful Bolero Composition – are simply exceptional and truly very highly visually appealing works of art. The author explains that he is working through a complicated way of vast network of associations in order to get the results which are really stays in his audience’s memory for ever.
EXCERPTS FROM THE OPENING SPEECH BY THE AMBASSADOR OF ISRAEL TO FINLAND AND ESTONIA H.E. SHEMI TSUR AT MICHAEL ROGATCHI’S EXHIBITION
Excerpts from the Opening Speech of the Ambassador of Israel to Finland and Estonia H.E. Shemi Tsur at the ceremony of the opening of Michael Rogatchi’s Dream, Memory, Love exhibition – The Art Gallery of the Estonian National Library, Tallinn, Estonia, August 2004.
Samson. The Last Smile. Oil on canvas. 110 x 100 cm. 2002.
I would like to congratulate the organisers of this exhibition, the National Library of Estonia, for hosting this unique art at their distinguished gallery. This exhibition is a part of a long journey, in several senses of the word. In its direct meaning, it travels the world during a few years, from Finland to Israel, Central Europe, London, Italy, all the Baltic states.
Michael is a very special artist, with the background of a scientist which is a rare case which produced a remarkable results.
Michael is a person whom you will like from the moment you meet him. When I have arrived a year ago to my post in Helsinki to be an Israeli Ambassador to Finland and Estonia, the name of Rogatchis, Inna and Michael, was known to me from the line of the former Israeli Ambassadors to Finland and Estonia. It was just natural to invite Michael and Inna to our residence. In our first meeting, we discussed almost everything from politics to poetry, arts, journalism, families and friends, difficulties and successes. During that conversation, I found the artist full with joy and love.
Getting know Michael and his work closer, I started to admire his art. The wideness of his way of artistic expression fascinated me. I admire Michael’s love for Israel which is transpiring from his work, his devotion to Jewish heritage and tradition. One is lucky – and I am amazed of it – to find in the works of this one artist practically everything: sharp observations, exuberant joy of life, his love for the family, his pain, sadness and at the same time hope, optimism, and humour.
From Michael’s paintings, you can also feel an admiration for culture, heritage, and great respect for wisdom and spirituality.
The other thing which fascinates me in Michael’s art is that it is very hard to define which kind of style he is working in. This artist does not bound by any restrictions, but motivated by his Dreams, Memories and Love.
We all have different dreams, different memories of our families, events in our lives, our celebrations and our tragedies. Michael has his incredible ability, his talent to combine all of it for us in a brilliant way. The way that makes us to think of our dreams and memories and to believe in a better future full of light, hope, joy and love.
In his works, Michael covers different topics. For me, the most impressive ones are his works on Jerusalem, on the Bible, and his reflections on the Holocaust. Michael’s artistic interpretation of the Bible is original, mighty, interesting, modern and powerful – have a look on his work dedicated to Samson. It is an incredible artistic achievement.
Next Year in Jerusalem. Oil on canvas. 70 x 66 cm. 1996.
Michael also was able to present the theme of Holocaust in an unique way. On one side, the shocking realities of the Shoah are portrayed in his works to the extent that you can feel the pain and the suffering. On the other side, you notice the optimism for the future. For many of us, it is like with Michael: the memory and the knowledge about the Holocaust lives with us, inside us, so that it is the integral part of us. There is no comparison in the history of mankind to the evil ideology of the Nazism and its Final Solution. Six million Jewish, among them one and a hlaf million children were brutally murdered in that unspeakable crime. And still, more than 60 years later, after the horrors of the Holocaust took places, the issue of anti-Semitism is still with us today, even in the European countries.
Michael, than you very much for sharing with us your Dream, your memory and your Love, and I would like to send my presentation with a quotation from the letter of Simon Wiesenthal sent last year to Michael: “I am glad that there are people like you, Michael, who will continue to remind people”.
Introduction by Burlington Gallery, London, the UK
The Art of Michael Rogatchi
Michael Rogatchi (C). Backstage. In memory of Juhan Viiding. 1994.
Artistic manner of Michael Rogatchi who is working in figurative contemporary art, can be described as metaphorical expressionism. His paintings are noteworthy because of the combination of deep inner thoughts with expressionistic solutions.
His special vision of space is a result of his intensive experience in theatre, where he used to work as set- and stage designer. Initially his works has been influenced by a magic of theatre. In Rogatchi’s paintings, sensation of space can be intriguingly multi-dimensional. Motion is undoubtedly essential in his paintings and makes them full of dramatic displays of a complex world, seemingly being in-born for the artist.
One of the most attractive features of Michael Rogatchi’s art is the way he did find for his expression, by combining an established classic manner of portraying a subject with modern dynamic motion and unpredictable use of colour. Both good school and modern thinking are happily co-existing in his works.
The article for the catalogue of the inauguration exhibition at The New Burlington Gallery, London, the UK.
MICHAEL ROGATCHI’S DREAM, MEMORY, LOVE EXHIBITION IN TALLINN, ESTONIA.
REVIEW BY ELLA AGRANOVSKY, YOUTH OF ESTONIA newspaper, August 2004
Michael Rogatchi’s paintings are very interesting because of the artist’s colour resolution. His paintings plot is dramatic always, his colours are intense, and the inter-connection of the plots and colour resolutions originates an extra drama of those magnetic works. Philosophical context and essence of his works are settling it in a special kind of art when artist knows precisely well what does he want to say and why. It is a rare quality in the contemporary art.
Michael Rogatchi’s exhibition consist three main parts which reflects the essence of human life: dream, memory, love. Following the artist’s concept of his latest and largest, so far, exhibition ( showing 73 artworks), ‘without dream, there is no present, without memory there is neither past or future, and without love nothing happens or exist ever’. And all these patterns of our lives are inter-connected in Michael Rogatchi’s art and his works and perception.
It is just naturally impossible to convey in words his large and magnificent Bolero composition. The one of the allusions after looking into that big ‘tapestry of life’ is that it reminds, in highly artistic way, about roundness of life as a philosophical concept, with its every next spiral drives us up to the new level. Bolero is full with conceptual allusions, the one of them is that corrida, the form of mutual struggle between human being and an animal, a bull, in this case, is a very special model of relationships which presents to the both parties an unique possibility of inter-transformation.
The artist emphasises that his philosophical Bolero composition is an artistic study of compassion. He says that with regard to corrida, the most compassion is awaken in me as in human being by the destiny of horses participated there, and it always was the case. I always felt this compassion thinking on horses which participate in corrida. This work is about necessity and possibility of choices, it is about our human attitude to many things and phenomena around us, it is about freedom, and the feelings and behaviour of a slave in whatever context , forms and ways of slavery it could bee, and behaviour and choices of a free man. It is a drama, a contrast between despair and cruelty from one side, and mercy, beauty and energy from another. Freedom is the highest value – as for a human being, as for every living creature”, – emphasises the artist.
The exhibition in a whole provides its viewers with a firework full of dramas, passions, emotions and beauty. It is must art and culture event in Tallinn, and anywhere where this stunning exhibition of this so special master will be travelling in its impressive international tour.
The paintings of Michael Rogatchi, artist from Finland, are due to be exhibited in Lithuania later this autumn. The works are truly amazing because of its’ warmth, unparalleled combination of the paintings’ closeness to reality and the stunning romanticism at the same time.
Portrat with Rain. The Artists Wife. 1995.
Recently published album of the artist’s works besides reproductions of his paintings includes a long essay in a form of the Michael’s conversation with his wife Inna. Here are the excerpts of the master’s thoughts:
METAPHOR FOR CREATIVITY
“One’s life can perhaps best be visualized as a series of shadows of white and variations on white. When a human being is born and is still new to this world, this white is untouched. As life progresses, a large variety of shades of white combine to create a characteristic tapestry or pattern to life that is unique to the individual. When a human being leaves this world, this life passage can also be thought of as a return to white. But the quality of this white, as well as that of the future colour of memory, is ours to determine. The degree of decency with which an individual life is led will determine the brilliance, purity and depth of this colour.
The ability of white to reflect and produce shadow and its unique capacity to produce the full spectrum of colour is also a metaphor for creativity. Producing a shadow entails the creation of volume: indeed, a special form of volume, unseen but implied and the result of intelligence alone.”
SEARCHING FOR HARMONY
“If I consider the great paintings that feature so largely in our education, I am sometimes struck by a paradox inspired by a mistaken perception. For instance, when observing Leonardo’s “Homo Vitruvius”, we instinctively feel that when Leonardo created this symbol of harmony, life was far more balanced than it is now. Of course, this is untrue. The essential features and parameters of life on this planet remain unchanged. The existence of computers does not make their owners Homo Sapiens any more talented or skilful than an individual equipped with a goose’s nib. In many cases, quite the contrary.
The Heart of the Matter. Michael Rogatchi. 2001.
Man’s mind and conscience are still travelling in the same direction, searching for harmony. Through the ‘golden ratio’, which he illustrated in “Homo Vitruvius”, Leonardo provided a hypothesis that explained the harmony present in the human body shaped by the Creator.
In my work “Homo Vitruvius (Twentieth Century)”, I wanted to show what happened to a human being, in itself an expression of harmony, when cast into the maelstrom of the twentieth century.”
THE PRINCIPAL THEME
“The Jewish theme is key to my work: indeed, it forms its raison d’etre. Outside this context, I could not imagine myself as an artist or even as a person. Interestingly, all my works focusing on a Jewish theme have provided me with an impetus to explore new ideas and different artistic directions”.
Michael Rogatchi and His Jewish Way series and exhibition
Michael Rogatchi (C). Next Year In Jerusalem. Jewish Mother. 1994.
The Jewish theme is a very personal one for the artist. And his interpretation of that theme evokes great co-excitement in such works as Family Supper, My Stones. Jerusalem, and Portrait of Osip Mandelshtam. In exploring these themes, Michael Rogatchi shows a deep knowledge of history, religion and culture of his people. His Jewish cycle is an organic portrayal of his own spiritual heritage.
The rare thing about Rogatchi’s paintings is that memory can still be alive on his canvases. That kind of memory demands a serious constant effort from the public as well. A deep humanity is an essential aspect of Michael Rogatchi’s art. Apart from his strong intellectual message, his art is full of attentive and carrying love.
Tarja Pasi, Introduction to Michael Rogatchi’s Jewish Way exhibition in Finland.
Senior Baltic journalist on Michael Rogatchi’s art and its romanticism
Michael Rogatchi (C). Paris Memories. 1998.
The works of Michael Rogatchi are truly amazing because of their warmth, the unparalleled combination of the paintings’ closeness to reality and the stunning romanticism at the same time.
Olga Pavuk, Editor-in-Chief, The Baltic Course magazine.
Leading Polish art historian: Rogatchi’s King David is unique in history of art.
Michael Rogatchi (C). “Absalom, My Son!..” King David. 2003.
In his paintings, Michael Rogatchi shows classic characters in a powerful and extraordinary way: the suffering of his King David in Absalom, my son!… King David is powerfully transmitted to the audience; in his work, King David is portrayed in the unique way in the history of art.
Michael Rogatchi’s Moses is everything we know about this great figure and clearly is a person contradicting many outside and inside challenges. His Dancer in The Dance is a rare combination of an eternal tradition given to us in quite a modern way. This is rare in the contemporary art combination of power and expression, depth of thought and elegance and class of its reaching to a viewer.
Iwona Brzewska, Art historian, chief curator of the Permanent Art Collection, Jewish Historical Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
