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Biography

Sylva Zalmanson  

Artist, former renowned Activist for Human Rights & Engineer

Sylva Zalmanson's paintings can be interpreted as a symbolic expression of two of the meaningful experiences she has experienced in her life: prison and freedom.

Today Sylva Zalmanson lives in Israel and was recently honored as part of Jerusalem Post Russian-Speaking Jews who shaped Israel in Zionism.

In the 1970's she made headlines as a Soviet refusenik, a Prisoner of Zion, whose unwavering courage and dignity, even while in captivity, made her a symbol of freedom and faith.

Sylva Zalmanson in her studio October 20

Sylva Zalmanson in her studio. October 2019, Israel

Credit: Anat Zalmanson Kuznetsov

...“The themes of the exhibition "Animal Soul" (Hebrew: נשמה חיה) can be interpreted as a symbolic expression of the artist's experiences. The choice of sheep and goats can be interpreted as an indirect way of describing the Jewish public in the Soviet Union, whose lives were under threat from brutal rule, without the ability to defend themselves. 

...  In visual art, this image represents, among other things, a person who sacrificed his life for a lofty purpose.

Compared to the sheep and goat paintings, the paintings in which the horse's image appears express perhaps the sense of liberation as Zalmanson's immigration to Israel. Horse paintings are also common in the world of art, where in most cases the horse is accompanied by a horseman (ruler or commander), mounted on his back, as an expression of the ultimate combination of human reason and animal power. In Sylva's work, the horse appears to be free and not led by a human horseman. They are presented as wild beasts roaming in the open space with bursting joy.." 

Devorah Goldberg, Curator - City Mouse, Jerusalem

​

Born in 1944, Sylva grow up in a traditional Jewish Zionist family in Riga.

When Sylva was 20, she started her Zionist activity which included spreading Hebrew teaching books to USSR Zionist groups in different cities.

She graduated with a degree in engineering from the Riga Polytechnic University. Zalmanson had dreams of making a home in Israel.

At the age of 25, in 1970, after repeatedly being denied exit from the Soviet Union, Sylva, her husband then Edward Kuznetsov, two brothers and 12 other Zionist activists, were arrested by the KGB for an escape attemt from the USSR.

Also known as “Dymshits-Kuznetsov Hijacking Affair” or “The First Leningrad Trial” or “Operation Wedding” a code name for a plan to take an empty plane outside the Soviet borders, over to Sweden, bound for Israel.

Young, fearless, and the only woman in the dock, Sylva was ordered to stand and state her case. She proclaimed: “Even here, on trial, I still believe I’ll make it someday to Israel. This dream, illuminated by 2,000 years of hope, will never leave me. Next year in Jerusalem!”

The first Leningrad trial was broadcast around the world, creating furious street protests in America, Australia, Europe, and Israel, triggering an international outcry from 24 governments.

Sylva’s sentence was 10 years imprisonment but due to pressure on the world audience, released after 4 years and arrived in Israel.

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“For me, the idea of freedom became a goal in life which was more important than anything else, for which I was willing to do anything. I moved toward this goal without looking back, no matter what. My freedom was connected to my homeland, Israel.”  

Sylva Zalmanson

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After four years in the gulag and a worldwide campaign on her behalf, Zalmanson was freed. Arriving in Israel in 1974, she fought for the release of her two brothers, her husband – whose death sentence was commuted to 15 years hard labor – and other Prisoners of Zion, raising the cause with world leaders and holding a 16-day hunger strike at the United Nations.

Eventually her pressure, and that of numerous other activists and world leaders, bore fruit, and most of the defendants were released before the end of their terms.

In 1979, after nine years apart, Zalmanson and Kuznetsov reunited in Israel; a year later the couple had a daughter, Anat, who is now a filmmaker.

Sylva's daughter, who is an Israeli filmmaker, directed a documentary about her parents story Operation Wedding. Watch the trailer     

and visit the website for more details:

www.operation-wedding-documentary.com

For years, until her retirement in 2005, Sylva worked as a Mechanical Engineer.

 

She started painting in 1992.

Working in acrylics and oil, her subjects are often depicted in vibrant colors, in mixed media. Sylva Zalmanson exhibited in Israel, USA, UK, Italy, Romania and Finland. Full exhibitions list

She was accepted member of the "Painters and Sculptors Association of Israel".

“In my work, there is no prison theme. But my first portraits were marked by a deep sadness with a fair share of suffering. Later, the feeling of freedom, love of life in all its expressions – which I had been deprived of in prison – poured onto the canvas.” Sylva Zalmanson

In the Media

IN THE MEDIA

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International Exhibitions
  1. 2019 - Phoenix, Arizona, USA Art Exhibition with JNF
  2. 2012 - , Paris, France Gallerie Memoire de L'Avenir
  3. 2007 - Florence, Italy Biennale International Exhibition
  4. 2007 - Brukenthal National Museum, Sibiu, Romania - Israeli Artists In European Capital Of Culture
  5. 2006 - Alexandra Palace, London, England - The Great Art Fair
  6. 2000 - Riverdale, NY Y-center, USA
  7. 2002 – Soho, NYC, USA “Agora” Gallery
  8. 1999 - Brooklyn, NY, USA “Fine Art Association“
Individual Exhibitions in Israel
  1. 2022 - Pais House, Elkana 'From Priosner To Painter'   Curator: Hava Navo
  2. 2019 - OU Israel Center, Jerusalem - 'From Priosner To Painter'   Curators: The Women's Performance Community of Jerusalem
  3. 2017 - Karmiel Dance Festival, Karmiel Cultural Center, Israel - 'Brush, Lens & Dance'   A unique collaboration with Artist Sylva Zalmanson & photographer Alex Hoover.
  4. 2016 - Municipality's gallery, Karmiel, Israel-'The power of the brush, softness of the rock'
  5. 2016 -Jerusalem Theater', Jerusalem, Israel - 'Living Soul'
  6. 2015 - Hirsh Theatre, Beit Shmuel. Jerusalem, Israel - 'Living Soul' Curator: Deborah Goldberger
  7. 2014 - 'Shorashim' gallery, Bank 'Beinleumi', Tel Aviv, Israel - 'Flamenco Plus' Curator: Yafa Meir
  8. 2013 - 'Beit Rubinshtein', Tel Aviv, Israel - 'In Spanish mood'
  9. 2013 - 'Beit Silver' Ramat Gan, Israel - 'In A Spanish mood'
  10. 2012 - W Tower, Tel Aviv - 'Latin mood' Curator: Lori Peshnitsa
  11. 2012 - Beit Aba Hushi' Haifa, Israel
  12. 2011 - Bat Yam Performing Art Center, Israel
  13. 2009-2010 - Tel-Aviv Performing Art Center, Israeli Opera - 'Duende'  Curator: Udi Rosnoyn
  14. 2009 - Textile Center, Tel Aviv, Israel - 'Images'
  15. 2009 - Haifa Auditorium, Haifa, Israel - 'Flamenco's soul'
  16. 2009 - Artcore Gallery, Jaffa, Israel - 'Flamenco's soul'
  17. 2008 - Beit Aba Hushi, Haifa, Israel - 'Movimiento'
  18. 2008 - Gerard Bechar, theatre centre Jerusalem, Israel - 'Femina'
  19. 2008 - Auditorium Haifa, Israel - 'Images'
  20. 2006 - Rabin Youth Hotel, Jerusalem, Israel - 'Images'
  21. 2005 – Beit Aba Hushi, Haifa, Israel – 'Characters'
  22. 2005 - Art Center Gallery, Rishon LeZion, Israel
  23. 2003 – Beit Aba Hushi Gallery” Haifa, Israel - 'Movimiento'
  24. 2003 – Art Gallery of Village Association, Tel-Aviv - 'Movimiento'
  25. 2003 – Art Gallery of Village Association, Tel-Aviv – 'Characters'
  26. 2002 - Memorial and Cultural Center, Jerusalem, Israel
  27. 2001 – Jerusalem Center for the Performing Arts, Jerusalem, Israel
  28. 2000 - Ashdod Museum, Israel
  29. 2000 - Beit Daniel, Tel-Aviv, Israel
  30. 1998 – Jaffa Art Center, Jaffa, Israel
  31. 1996 - Out of frame Gallery, Ashdod, Israel
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Exhibitions

Exhibitions

Collective Exhibitions in Israel
  1. 2023 - ZOA, Tel Aviv - The Movemnet Of The Dance - Curator: Dr. Moran Ya'acobi
  2. 2023 - ZOA, Tel Aviv - Vally of Flowers - Curator:  Moran Ya'acobi
  3. 2019 - Performing Arts Theater, Herzliya - Representations of Dance and Movement in Contemporary Plastic Art  - Curator: Dr. Avivit Agam Dali
  4. 2016 - Bank HaPoalim, Tel Aviv, Israel - Israeli Art Exhibition - 'Imagination'
  5. 2015 - Bank HaPoalim, Tel Aviv, Israel - Israeli Art Exhibition - 'Imagination'
  6. 2015 - Jerusalem Theatre, Jerusalem, Israel - MUS(E)IC
  7. 2015 - Jaffa, Israel - 'My Favorites'
  8. 2014 - Habima theatre, Tel Aviv, Israel
  9. 2014 - Aba Hushi gallery, Haifa, Israel
  10. 2014 - Beit Hecht Art Center, Haifa, Israel
  11. 2014 - Kastra’s gallery, Haifa Art Center, Haifa, Israel
  12. 2014 - Rubinshtein House, Tel Aviv, Israel - 'Optimism' Curator: Lori Peshnitsa
  13. 2013 - Museum of art and Antique. Jaffa, Israel
  14. 2008 - Beit HaTextile, Tel Aviv, Israel
  15. 2008 - Beit Asia, Tel Aviv, Israel
  16. 2008 - TV Portrait competition of Israeli artists, Channel 1 Israel
  17. 2007 - Acre theater, Acre, Israel
  18. 2007 - Gerard Bechar Center, Jerusalem, Israel
  19. 2007 - Congress Hall, Haifa, Israel
  20. 2006 - Kastra’s gallery. Haifa Art Center, Haifa, Israel
  21. 2004 - Kastra’s gallery, Haifa Art Center, Haifa, Israel
  22. 2004 - Winnery Rishon Le-Tzion, Israel
  23. 2003 - Winnery Rishon Le-Tzion, Israel
  24. 1994-2003 - 28 varies exhibitions in Ashdod, Israel
  25. 2002 – Memorial and Cultural Center, Ashdod, Israel
  26. 2001 – Bible Museum, Tel-Aviv, Israel
  27. 2000 – Beit Zionei America (ZOA), Tel-Aviv, Israel
  28. 1993–1995 Gedera Museum, Gedera, Israel
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