A man who is a life's work of art, teaching and heritage • The house of the artist Dan Livni in Haifa

(I live here too) - A visit to his special house, full of art and beauty, of an artist, painter, illustrator, designer, producer, curator and facilitator - Dan Livni, in the Kabavir neighborhood in Haifa.

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Childhood in a kibbutz

As a small kid, Dan (born in 1936) remembers his parents' house on the eucalyptus tree in the training camp which was in a grove in Ra'anana. Imbued with ideals, the parents of the "painter of the wars" Dan Livni immigrated from Europe. Mina and Israel were busy with the tasks of the time, and the child Dan grew up on the farm, without the presence of his parents. As a "family" he had a group of children from the Kibbutz "Maoz Haim" in the Beit Shan Valley.

first years

In his beautiful home in the Kabavir neighborhood, the painter Dan Livni brings up memories from his childhood in Kibbutz Maoz Haim and tells the story of the State of Israel through his paintings. The story that is also told in his new book "Early Years". It is too short to detail Livni's wide-ranging work throughout the periods, but you can recall them in the article published about him in Hai Pa in October 2020 - In the link: 

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I live here too

The section that brings you fascinating Haifa characters in their homes, where the introduction is through the stories, the charges and the unique point of view of the people who make up the human mosaic of our city Haifa. That is - this is life and living here - just like the name of the section - "I also live here".
This time, a visit to the special and spectacularly beautiful house of Dan Livni, artist, painter, illustrator, designer, producer, curator and presenter.

A legacy of art

Dan's drawing and academic drawing skills are among the finest and most accurate that can be seen. He is a graduate of the "Bezalel" Academy of Art in Jerusalem, in his work as a teacher, he coordinated the art course at the 5th Urban High School in Haifa, he guided teacher and kindergarten training courses at the Gordon College of Education, as well as at the school for teaching staff, and he also taught painting workshops at various cultural centers around Haifa.

patrol commander and craftsman

During his military service, Livni was a commander in the Givati ​​Patrol, the Armored Corps and in the Education Division of the Northern Command. His field sketches depicting IDF soldiers and Israel's wars have been published in many files. It should be noted that many lithographs of his works were printed and dedicated to the victims, soldiers and their families. His paintings appear in dozens of art catalogs as well as on various art websites.

Painter in kindergarten

According to the stories of the person who was the kindergarten teacher in the kindergarten where he was educated, Dan was already good at drawing when he was a small child. The same kindergarten teacher said that from about the age of 5, in preparation for events and Israeli holidays, little Danny helped her decorate the walls of the kindergarten. Since then, of course, he has become very professional. Today, Obed discusses many and varied techniques: drawing, watercolors, woodblock prints, silkscreen, monoprint and oil paints.

Nature and surrealism

Dan Livni's work is characterized by a cycle that derives its primary sources from nature, and it is expressed in spontaneous drawing, while he paints and dwells in the landscape. Later, a process develops in the studio in which motifs from his inner world are merged and make the work have imaginative and even surrealistic features, which incorporate symbols and general universal images.

The magic of the bagpipe

Not only does he discuss the art of drawing, but he is also amazing at playing the bagpipes. The beginning of the musical connection with the bagpipe was in the lessons of the teacher Tamar Yardani, who coordinated the whole subject of music in the kibbutz. On holidays and events, Jordani played the accordion, as well as in public singing sessions and folk dance gatherings. Teacher Tamar's bagpipe lessons captivated the class and opened the world of music and playing to the "kibbutz kids". That's how Dan fell under the magic of the bagpipe and just like the drawing block next to it, the bagpipe also accompanies him throughout his life. The bagpipe is close to him on nature trips, with friends or with the family, and anywhere he may pull it out and play... especially in front of the wonders of nature.

musical sessions

Danny sails through the stories of his playing... for example, he says, on one of his many trips, he sat at the top of the "Honagh Shan" mountains in China, facing the deep canyon, and played the bagpipes. Suddenly, from the forest, a gentle singing of a woman was heard, which joined in his melody. After talking with her it turned out that she is an opera singer from Shanghai. Another case occurred on a desert trip in Azerbaijan. Very naturally, Dan and his good friend Chazi pulled out bagpipes and started playing... within a few minutes, Chinese, Spanish, Israeli and other tourists gathered on the ridge and started dancing to the sounds!

The chicken coop

After his release from the IDF, Dan returned to the kibbutz. At the end of a whole year of work, he asked to go to school, but the members' assembly did not approve the art studies at "Bezalel" which he desired. His devotion to the goal motivated him to pave an independent path for himself, and first of all to find A place to live and sleep for himself. It so happened that his first place of residence was in... the chicken coop! A coop that he came to thanks to a family friend. This acquaintance arranged for him to spend the night in a cubicle-like cell next to the chicken coop in Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, near Jerusalem.

Eternal bosom wife

Simultaneously with the beginning of his studies at "Bezalel", Dan tried to make a living from construction work, but this attempt was a crushing failure. Courtesy of his teacher, the painter Yona Mech, Livni was accepted into the education department of the Jerusalem Municipality. Since then, in the afternoons, he began to wander among the student circles for painting throughout the city of Jerusalem. In "One of the Summers," Dan arrived as the coordinator of the arts and decorations at the "Summer Camp for Youth", on behalf of the Jerusalem Municipality, in the camp was also guided by Alma Yafet Tovar, Sat Tahora from the daughters of the Holy City. It was none other than Ora, who in a very short time became his wife and the wife of his eternal bosom. Needless to say, the couple celebrated not already 60 years of happy marriage.

From the desert to the green mountain

Upon completing his studies in Jerusalem, Dan established the art studies course at Makif A High School in Be'er Sheva. There, in addition to teaching art, he was responsible for designing the decorations for the holidays, for the alumni exhibitions, and also served as the head of the youth delegation to London in 1964. During their 5 years of living in Be'er Sheva, the Livni couple used to visit Dan's father who lived in Haifa. For a couple who came from the desert, it was not difficult to fall in love with the city of the sea and the ever-green mountain, and in 1965 they moved to Haifa.  

A path to art

For three years Dan taught art at Urban High School C in Haifa and then for another 39 years he taught at Urban High School H, which he had over the years as a real home. , ceramics, sculpture and art history.

teaches and learns

At the same time, during 25 years he also taught at the 'Gordon' College of Education in Haifa, at the same time he worked as a teacher-trainer on behalf of the University of Haifa, in the department of teacher and kindergarten training at the school for teaching staff. in various cultural centers in Haifa. It goes without saying that during all these years, he himself continued his studies at well-known art academies in Europe and the USA.

Travels, plague, nature and pain

Livni has recently been engaged in the production of three new painting series:

• "Travels in the world" in the days of Corona - Paintings in which nature and man intertwine, despite the limitations of the period of closures at the height of the epidemic.
• ecosystem - Drawings that imagine and show attributes of an ecosystem (ecosystem) in which thoughts about conditions of temperature, humidity, radiation, etc.
• neuropathy - Paintings that express immense pain, thoughts of illness, sorrow and even crying.

Dan's light

"Behind every successful man stands a woman"... Indeed, this is Ora, who guides Dan to the goal of his artistic success. Ora nee Zimero (Ben Zimra) was born on Mount Scopus (1941) to a Jerusalem family, living in the Mishkanim Shananim at the time, whose roots in Israel are about 500 years old. In practice, his wife is the "minister of foreign affairs" and Dan's PR wife. At the same time, Ora completed her academic studies at the University of Haifa in the field of special education and engaged in educational consulting and curriculum writing at the "Geniger" special school in Haifa.

Children

The couple has three children. Yonatan (born 1979) a high-tech man who divides his life between New York and Tel Aviv, and two twin daughters (born 1963) Tali, who lives in Ramot Ramez and Dafna who lives in Atlit. Both are engaged in music in kindergartens and each of them has two children... indeed twins!

familiality

Every week the extended Livni family gathers for Shabbat dinner, with the rule being a round at the accommodation location. They even get together at unique events and make sure to travel together in the country's landscapes. Especially loved by them are the districts of the Carmel mountains, the Tabor and the Galilee. In addition to this, the entire family recently spent time in Spain and then spent time with their daughters' families in Batumi in Georgia.

Paintings on the kitchen cabinets

If we are talking about family gatherings, then of course the round of hospitality starts in... the home kitchen. In Ora and Dan's home, even the kitchen cabinet doors are decorated with the artist's paintings. These cabinets were designed with a special technique, where the paintings are covered with transparent plates. Without a doubt, the delicacies that come out of such a kitchen are exquisite.

The veteran swimmer

The view from the living room of the Livni couple's home is a breathtaking view of Haifa. Already from the foyer, the gaze is diverted to the blue sea, where it is good to swim. Hash Kal he pulls out the medal of recognition and appreciation on behalf of the Maccabi Haifa Sports Club. In it they salute him for 65 years of swimming in the Maccabi pool, and give him the title of "the oldest and most persistent swimmer".

Ora's small garden

Ora and Dan cultivate their home in every possible way. In addition to Dan's many paintings hanging on the walls, there is a favorite corner which is named "Ora's Little Garden Corner", decorated with magnificent plants. Across from this corner, there is another area where Ora cultivates plants, which are reminiscent of Dan's paintings.

The inheritance of the father and the gift of the friend

On one of the walls in the living room stands out a unique item in its difference. This item is an antique pewter decoration from the Hart Nebo period, which Ora received as a memory and an inheritance from her father. In contrast, Dan flaunts a special statue that he received from his colleague, the sculptor Bornstein. In 1983, they both presented their works at the "Caesaria Gallery" and were very impressed and enthusiastic about each other's work... This is how Dan received the wooden statue that is proudly placed in the living room of his house, a statue with the "Tower of Babel" carved into it.

Art and Gaudi library

An oversized library stands majestically in the living room, full of fancy art books. Although Dan is well acquainted with all the treasures on these shelves, every now and then he pulls out one of them, in order to examine, read, repeat and learn about the wonders of these works. When asked to point to the book closest to his heart, he quickly pulls out the book of the works of the Catalan architect Gaudi, who became famous for his unique design-sculptural style.

The studio

In one of the rooms of the house is Dan's studio, and it is actually the heart of the house: this is where the art is created. Easels for students, brushes and paints arranged like soldiers, from their position you can look beyond the large window, to the beautiful Haifa landscape. A Thai easel carved in brown wood is placed on display, in front of it stands a decades-old drawer cabinet, dedicated only to papers.

Creative friends

Although the Livni couple consume culture as subscribers to the municipal theater, they are also creators of culture themselves. Ora and Dan conceived the establishment of the Achi group, this is a group called "Brotherhood of Creative Friends" in which artists and various friends joined Dan Livni's initiative and for about 50 years they have been meeting for creative meetings, literary evenings, poetry, trips and social gatherings. Also members of a circle Achi volunteers in various mural projects, participates in the happenings of flutes and songs. The members are also invited to Haifa's "Gamalaidat", a painting event that usually takes place on the lawn in Beit Hecht.

Best wishes to the beloved city

Dan wishes the city of Haifa to develop in terms of tourism. There are countless programs for this in "Moho Kodah". For example, as a swimmer and sea lover, he would recommend creating breakwaters along the city's coastline, thereby creating improved beaches that would enhance both the enjoyment of the city's residents and tourism.

In his vision, the transportation problem at the Horeb intersection should be solved by building an overhead bridge, which will eliminate the constant traffic congestion at this intersection. Dan believes that an elevated train should be created from the Stella Maris area, on the line of the mountain ridge, to the entrance of the university area.

The most beautiful street in Israel

Thus Dan would recommend turning Panorama Street, which according to him is the most beautiful street in Israel, into a street of cafes and galleries, and on that occasion even move the "House of Artisans" / Chagall House to a much more accessible place.

A story and nothing else

Livni often sails through stories and clings to the words of Bashavis Singer: "When the day passes it is already gone, what is left of it? Just a story and nothing else. But in stories time does not disappear, neither do the people." He immediately pulls out the notebook "Graduation of 1969th grade, batch of XNUMX, parting words", and points to a letter from a student, which at the end of reading it, we can only be moved to tears.

"Don't you dare change"

"Danny, it's just important to me that you know that you are among the most important people I've ever met in my life, with advice at the right moments, a supporting hand, tools to move on and a head that really understands the craziness that runs through my mind.
Your support gave me a lot of motivation to create and invest in art. When I grow up, I hope I will stand up to this difficult task and fulfill a dream that you helped me build thanks to your trust in me.
And you, who don't dare to change, who stay young forever and make many more children like me smile and create, I love you, Roni."