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Reuven (Berman) Kadim was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., 14 December 1929. Studied art in Philadelphia and in Los Angeles, where he graduated from high school as an art major. Studied anthropology and architectural design, Los Angeles City College, 1949. Appeared in professional theatre, became active in Zionist youth movement, apprenticeship in landscape gardening. Settled in Israel December 1950. Gardener in kibbutz until 1953.
Residence in Jerusalem, where he studied at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, 1954-1956. Spent seven months in Mexico in 1957. Lived in Tel Aviv and Holon between 1958-1970. Worked as editor, illustrator and exhibition designer. Five-month stay in the U.S.A. 1965. Since 1970 lives and works in Rehovot.
Between 1961-1972, art critic for The Jerusalem Post, and also between 1966-1973, art critic for Yedioth Aharonoth. Among curatorial projects: largest Israeli participation in Biennale for Young Artists, Paris, 1969; Artistic Coordinator of "Four Sculptures Project" in public sites, Tel-Aviv Foundation for Literature and Art, 1973-75; Sao Paulo Biennale, 1984; "The Rational Factor", Haifa Museum of Modern Art, 1984; album of prints by teacher-artists, marking 80th anniversary of Bezalel Academy of"Art and Design, 1986. Between 1966-1969 and 1979-1982, member of Plastic Arts Section, Public Council for Art and Culture, Israel Ministry of Education and Culture. Teaching 1977 - 1994: Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion, Haifa; Senior Lecturer Art Department, Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem; Sadna Workshop for Architecture and Design, Tel Aviv.
First abstract and non-objective paintings, 1958. 1966 first artist in Israel to abandon
rectangular formats as an unquestioned convention; first geometric hard-edge paintings. In 1971 began to develop color "structures" based on rational ordering principles. During 1980s and 1990s travel concentrated mainly on Mediterranean countries. In 1985 began integration of identifiable cross-cultural and cross-temporal images with concrete harmonic order. In 1990 he made his first free-standing three-dimensional work. In 1991, developed three-dimensional ideas during five-month stay in the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris. Added the Hebrew Kadim to his name. Since 1995, computer-imaging has been his exclusive medium, and has realized his works with laser and ink-jet prints. Developed patterns based on Islamic method and Fractal Theory.
Wife, Judge Shoshana Berman, District Court (ret.) is an international authority on Intellectual Property. Two daughters and their husbands involved in the arts (both sons-in-law are former students of his), four granchildren.
A book in Hebrew and English, Geometric Art/The Hidden Language of Nature, surveying nearly 60 years of his work was published early in 2011. |