Biography
Avner Bar Hamawas born in Morocco in 1946, and immigrated to Israel in 1956, since then he lives with his family in Kiryat Gat. During 1966-1973, he studied art at the High School of Painting in Tel Aviv and at the Art Teachers’ Training College, Bet Berel. During his studies he worked as an assistant to Prof. Arie Margoshelsky, the founder of the High School of Painting (nowadays known as Kalisher School of Art). Avner graduated cum laude and was requested to join the school staff, where he was nominated as Pedagogic Director. He filled that post until 1977.
In 1975 he studied arts and cinematography in the Tel Aviv University. In the seventies he instructed art teachers in the Ministry of Education and was a member in the High Commission for Art Education.
In 1986 he won the first prize in a competition "Israeli Artists Paint the Bible".
Since 1972 Bar Hama presents in Israel and abroad. Over 30 sculptures and artistic projects are installed in Israel and abroad and his works adorn many sites in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Beer Sheva, Givat Ze'ev, Ma'ale Edomim, Kiryat Gat, Beit Shean, Yeruham, Ashdod, Bat Yam.
From 1978 to 1981 he served in Brusselson an educational assignment on behalf of Bney Akiva and the Jewish Agency; upon his return in 1981, he was nominated Head of the Art Course at Talpiot College, Tel Aviv, holding that position until 2006.
Bar Hama served as a representative of the Jewish Agency in Eastern Canada from 1988 to 1992. In 1995 he resumed his position as Head of the Art Course at TalpiotCollege, Tel Aviv. In 1977 he established “HaGalleria HaAcheret” (Another Gallery) in the TalpiotCollege, Tel Aviv as well as the College of Contemporary Jewish Art.
Between 1994 and 1997, Bar Hama executed various artistic projects, including two outdoor sculptures in Malcha Mall, Jerusalem.
In 1998 he designed The Memorial for Kiryat Gat’s Fallen Soldiers and won a competition to install a sculpture and wall-sculpture for the lobby of the Trade Tower in Tel Aviv. The same year he was granted an Honorable Mention - Tel Aviv Artists’ Association Selected Artist Award. In 1999 he received first prizes in four sculpture competitions, on behalf of the Ministry of Education in Holon and Kiryat Gat and on behalf of the Israel State Lottery - Miphal Hapayis in Ashdod and Bat Yam.For these competitions he created four sculptures.
He is recipient of the Exhibition Award for the year 2000, Tel Aviv Artists’ Association Selected Artist Award and was invited to present his art installation "An alter of earth thou shalt make unto me" in the main gallery of the Artists House. The prize included production of a catalogue.
During 2002 he served in Paris as a representative of the Jewish Agency Education Department in Western Europe. In 2004 he was chosen to be a participant at the “Cité International des Arts de Paris”, and was granted a scholarship on behalf of the Cultural Administration of the Ministry of Education and Culture. That year he also won first annual prize for Jewish Culture on behalf of the Ministry of Education.
In 2005 Bar Hama presented several art installations concerning the disengagement:
February – March: "Meitzav-Matzav", The Artists' House, Tel Aviv, Ariel (Curator: Tzipora Lurya); June - another installation in the Center for the Performing Arts, Holon: "Meitzav-Meitzar" – ("InstallationStrait") (Curator: Udi Rozenvain). In July that year he served as a Curator together with Tzipora Lurya of an exhibition "Summer – Katif" in Newe Dakalim which was on display till the disengagement and in October he setin Kibutz Hafetz Haim Meytzav – Installation in the Sukkah of Ganei-Tal Evacuees – (Curator: Tzipora Lurya). In November he was invited to participate in an exhibition: "November 4th, 1995: Murder in Retro perspective" (Curator: Dr. Dana Arieli-Horowitz and Dr. Dalia manor) and in an exhibition "A Dislocated Landscape" at the Yakar Gallery in Jerusalem (Curator: Suzan Sasson).
In 2006, Bar Hama was invited to participate in a group exhibition: "A Matter of Disagreement" in the Pyramid Gallery in Haifa (Curator: Yaacov Hefetz).
In the summer following the ‘disengagement’ Bar Hama invited 10 press photographers to participate in a joint art installation: "Tzell – Mey-Tzav – 1+10", at the HaGalleria HaAcheret” (Another Gallery) in Tel Aviv. This summer he spent time at the “Cité International des Arts de Paris”.
In 2007 he presented his exhibition "The Walls stand in Witness" at municipal art gallery in Rehovot (Curator: Ora Krauss) and was a Curator to a collective exhibition: "Oh! My Country, My Homeland 2007" in Tel Aviv's Artists House.
In 2008 he was invited to Washington to participate in an exhibition "L(A)ttitudes"- Artists' interpretations of Mapping Israel and Palestine"at The Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery(Curator: Wendy Fergusson).In that year Bar Hama initiated an exhibition "Yosh and Osh" at the HaGalleria HaAcheret” (Another Gallery) in Tel Aviv and presented an art installation "Funeral Oration in Jerusalem" in the Artists' House in Tel Aviv. He also participated in an exhibition "Herzl – Face to Face" in the HaifaUniversity(Curator: Dr. Irit Miller) and served as Curator of the exhibition "The Red Window – an Interlude in Sderot" at the Tova Osman Gallery in Tel Aviv.
In 2009 Bar Hama participated in a group exhibition "Heshbon Nefesh" (Make a Reckoning with Himself) at the High Touch Gallery(Curator: Dafna Naor), he initiated and established "Hillel 17" Gallery in Jerusalem and served as Curator of several group exhibitions "As a Passing Shadow", "Glu-Ya" (reveal God), "Impre- Zionism" and "Expressing Utterance". He is also invited to Berlin to participate in an exhibition "Peace- Wall –Freedom", together with other artists from the Middle East.
In 2010 he serves as the Curator of the "HaGalleria HaAcheret” in Holon, named after the late culture critic Tzipora Lurya, several exhibitions: "Folding" by the artist Maty Fisher, a group exhibition"Ktonot Or" ) Gowns of Light( as well as solo exhibitions for artists Raaya Brukenthal and Heidi Stern. The current year Bar Hama exhibits in Patrice Veuillard Gallery in Berlina solo exhibition "HiStory" commemorating the Krystalnacht.
Prizes and Awards
2007 Bar Hama was chosen to create a sculpture for "Teva" Pharmaceutical Industries in Ramat Hovav
2005 Recipient of sculpting competition, Ministry of Education & Culture, RoshHa'Ayin
2004 Recipient of the Annual Prize for Jewish Art, Ministry of Education & Culture
2003 Recipient of the “Cite International des arts de Paris” scholarship - Ministry of Education & Culture
2002 Winner of a sculpting competition, Israel State Lottery, Bat Yam
2001 Winner of a sculpting competitions for environmental sculpturing - Ministry of Education & Culture and Israel State Lottery, Ashdod and Even Shemuel
2000 Recipient of the "Exhibition Award" for the year 2000, Tel Aviv Artists’ Association Selected Artist Award.
1999
Winner of two sculpting competitions,Ministry of Education & Culture, Kiryat Gat and Holon
1986 Sculpture Prize, "Artists/Teachers", Ministry of Education & Culture
First prize, in an exhibition "Israeli Artists Paint the Bible"
1985 First Prize, Sculpture Competition, Givat Ze’ev
First Prize, Sculpture Competition, Ma’ale Edomim
1984 First prize, Israeli Artists Paint the Bible
1977 First prize proposal for the Kfar Tavor project
| 
