Page 38 - Studio International - November 1965

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collected as works of art, displayed in the living-room for the past year he has been 'Artist in Residence·. This
rather than used in the context of living'. unusual appointment has provided him and his family
The fulfillment of his ideas about architecture and the with living quarters, and a well equipped studio-work­
small scale experiments he was working on, came with shop within the school, so that he could undertake the
the commission to collaborate on the new Sheraton huge task of making stained-glass windows for the new
Hotel in 1960. Invited originally to make something to synagogue The project, commenced in April 1964,
mask four pillars, preferably a wooden grille, Azaz per­ which will be completed by the end of 1965, covers
suaded the architects to allow him to put up a huge 1,032 square feet-two large side windows and forty­
sculpted wall in the lounge, which whilst an integral four panels for the front of the building. For this com­
part of the building would also be an original work of mission Azaz has used French glass in a brilliant new
art. This challenge to his ingenuity and power was a manner, breaking the material into heavy chunks and
tremendous success, acclaimed in Israel and elsewhere. placing them in layers, to given designs, set in trans­
As he rightly says, 'Since then I haven't looked back'. parent cement. The task answers his desire to work
He has since executed a number of large-scale com­ within a communal framework, since not only is it a
missions in Israel, in hotels, public buildings, in new work of art in a public building but it has been carried
liners and for the Israel Pavilion at the 1958 Brussels out with the assistance of the pupils. The boys of the
1 World Fair. In the United States he has contributed to school were invited to join the artist in his studio and a
Azaz at work on h,s
sculpted wall ,n the the vast Cl BA complex at New Jersey, as well as group of them have been so employed, in their spare
Sheraton Hotel. Tel Av,v to buildings in Illinois, Chicago and Syracuse, and at time, throughout the project.
2 present is working on projects for a Children's Centre in Azaz is now holding his first London exhibition of
Signal
Bronze Washington and the Church of Christ, New York. sculpture at the Grosvenor Gallery, of works done in this
17½ in. High Since 1963 he has been living and working in Britain. country. Whilst these bronzes, some of them maquettes
3 It was in fact in England, during his earlier stay, that he for architectural commissions, and stone carvings, are
Work by Azaz in the Main Lobby met the architect Eugene Rosenberg with whom he satisfying forms in themselves, he feels 'they are really
of the New Hilton Hotel. Tel Aviv
Opened 14th September 1965 discussed and worked out, theoretically, the possibility studies for larger works. Every small sculpture has been
Bronze. Welded Copper and Brass of using new materials in architecture. In Britain he has created as a project for a public place, in relation to
4 created works for a number of buildings, but his principal people and urban environment. If I were incapable of
Sculpted Wall. Tel Aviv
Architectural Association Building activity has been at Carmel College, Wallingford, where producing large scale sculpture I would never work on a

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