Amikam Toren

A Users Guide To Married Life No. 1 – 4

Amikam Toren

Amikam is represented internationally by Anthony Reynolds, London; MOT International; Noga Gallery, Tel Aviv and Jessica Silverman, San Francisco. His work is regularly shown at major art fairs – mostly recently at Frieze New York in 2014. Recent solo shows have been at Jessica Silverman in 2016 and Noga Gallery in 2015. Five of Amikam’s works became part of the Tate Collection in 2012.

Printmaking is a fairly new avenue in Amikam’s practice, he is known primarily for his conceptual paintings. Destroying ready-made objects, using the material to reform/repaint a representation of the original object and subsequently showing that alongside the remains is one approach – essentially tautological paintings. It is uncommon for represented objects to be included physically in their own representation.

These prints relate to this conceptual approach, derived from his canvas paintings of signs and logos stretched over cardboard boxes. They comment on the use of signs, logos and graphics as a universal cross-cultural means of communication. The title – ‘A User’s Guide to Married Life’ – came about whilst searching for a wedding present for a friend. The cut-out, untitled cardboard signs seemed relevant. The title stuck for the resulting prints.