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Hayyim Gamzu

(1910-1982)

GAMZU, ḤAYYIM (1910–1982), Israel drama and art critic. Born in Chernigov, Russia, he went to Palestine with his parents in 1923, and later left to study art and philosophy at the Sorbonne and the University of Vienna. The director of the Tel Aviv Museum, from 1962 he taught at the Ramat Gan School of Drama, and wrote regularly on painting, sculpture, and the theater, mainly for the daily Haaretz. His criticism was erudite and often harsh and could make or break an exhibition or production. Insisting that Hebrew drama must maintain European standards, he often expressed dissatisfaction with its achievements. His books, consisting of reproductions of works of art and accompanying text, include Ḥannah Orloff (1949), Ẓiyyur u-Fissul be-Yisrael ve-ha-Yeẓirah ha-Ommanutit be-Ereẓ Yisrael ba-Ḥamishim Shanah ha-Aḥaronot ("Painting and Sculpture in Israel and Artistic Creation in the Land of Israel in the Past 50 Years," 1957); Ze'ev Ben-Zvi (1955); Ommanut ha-Pissul be-Yisrael ("The Art of Sculpture in Israel," 1957). The Tel Aviv Museum's prize for the advancement of the arts is named for him.


Sources:[Getzel Kressel]

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