The Anaglyphic Art of Yael Avi-Yonah

I have been using anaglyphic techniques in
my artistic creations for the last thirty years
and have tried to expand its potential from the common use
of achieving a 3-D illusion or effect.
An anaglyphic picture or film requires an auxiliary tool
in order to achieve full expression
and this tool is usually a pair of spectacles
of which one lens is red and the other is blue or green.
The attempt to achieve a 3-D effect was used in spate of movies
in the 50’s, such as Bwana Junction,
where a lion “jumps” out of the screen.
It has been used occasionally in advertising promotions
or special articles from the National Geographic,
but has remained outside of the mainstream.
The anaglyphic technique was also used by certain artists
in the Dada and surrealistic movements as a kind of optical trick,
but what I am doing goes beyond this
and can be thus considered
a unique invention and breaking new ground.

First of all, I have no interest in achieving
just an illusion of 3-D space,
rather I usually try to create on my canvas
what seems to be a 2-D surface or form,
but reveals its inherent "dual" reality
by use of the anaglyphic glasses.
(The red lens should be placed opposite the right eye
and the green, opposite the left eye.)
This is easily seen in the following portraits,
which I have painted.
Each portrait is shown in its original colors
and for those who do not have the anaglyphic glasses,
it is followed by a grey scale simulation
of what is seen by looking
only through the red lens or the blue-green lens.

The first portrait, entitled “Natalie”
reveals through the green lens the ¾ portrait,
while the red reveals
the hidden profile view of the same woman.

In the second portrait: “Estheri”,
looking through green lens,
the subject looks pensive & serious,
while looking through the red, the subject actually smiles.

But I have more ambitious intentions,
which can be understood
by the definition of the word: anaglyphic,
which is a compound word:
“ana” diminishing or without and “glyph” form.
I am deliberately trying to use the anaglyphic tool
to diminish secondary details and emphasize essential forms.
The intention is to create a simulation
of Right Brain and Left Brain perception and consciousness.
As is well known in neurology,
the Right Brain tends to see the general design,
while the Left Brain tends to see or concentrate
only on the details and the balance of light and darkness.
In general the Right Brain is dominant in males or masculine perception,
while females favor the Left Brain.
(This is analagous to Kabbalah teaching
which differentiates between
Abba-Chachmah and Imma-Bina states of mind.)

When I paint, I usually wear for extended periods
the anaglyphic glasses to help me create the painting,
the green lens view to correspond to the Right Brain
and the red lens, the Left Brain.
In the course of time I have developed combinations
of color schemes that work best
with each lens or both of them together.
The viewer is invited to examine for himself
the anaglyphic experience
on the various paintings in this web site.

Directions for use of anaglyphic glasses

1. Look at the paintings in the usual way.

2. Put on the glasses so that the red lens is over the right eye
and the blue-green lens is over the left eye.

3. Close the right eye and look at the painting
only through left or blue lens.

4. Close the left eye and look at the painting
only through the right or red lens.

5. Now alternate a few times between
right eye and left eye and notice the interesting
differences in the picture.

6. Now look at the painting through both eyes and lenses
and enjoy the special hologram effect.

7. Take off the glasses and look again
at the painting and see if your appreciation and
perception of the painting has changed.

The manager of Yael's estate is interested

in contacting a serious collector
who would be willing and able to promote

her original paintings in museums and galleries

107 Alorzorov Street
Tzfat (Safed) Israel 1322480
Telephone in Israel:
mobile: 052-662-7620
(972-52-662-7620)
Email address: dovlederberg@gmail.com