robert kreminzer - au
By Tehila at The Zion ListThe first time I saw the work of Robert Kremnizer, I was lying on the floor at a friend's house in Israel. She happens to be a Pilates instructor, and from my mat, I found myself staring up at two of Kremnizer's bold and colorful paintings.
What resonated with me most, besides their obvious beauty, was the feeling that I was looking at more than a painting. Somehow, I had stepped into a memory that was not my own. The thing about great art is that, when you're drawn into it, all that exists is something quiet, inexplicable, and beyond time.
Robert Kremnizer is something of a Renaissance man. He trained as an artist before pursuing a career in law at his father's urging. Along the way, he became Torah observant and authored several books on Chassidic thought. Then, after a health scare and a thirty-year hiatus from painting, he picked up his brush again.
Now, flowing from his hand are hundreds of paintings whose rich colors and confident brushstrokes create a sense of stillness and longing. Whether it’s the Rebbe, a ballerina, or a soldier in prayer, Kremnizer's work seems less concerned with the physical than with capturing what’s dancing just beneath the surface.
Beyond the canvas: Through his ongoing Tzedoka Initiative, many of Kremnizer's paintings find their way into homes through a unique bond of trust. Recipients commit to making a charitable donation to a Jewish institution or shaliach of their choosing. Remarkably, Kremnizer doesn't set the amount, doesn't collect the money, and doesn't ask where it goes. Instead, he relies on the integrity of those receiving the work, allowing each painting to become part of something larger than itself, and in turn, strengthen the Jewish world.
At a Glance
Artist: Robert Kremnizer
Location: Sydney, Australia
Category: Makers
Why It’s On The List: Because his paintings feel less like portraits and more like memories.
Find Him: Instagram | Facebook
Images courtesy of Robert Kremnizer. Titles are my own.
