Michal Fargo

Michal Fargo Contemporary ceramics from Israel

View Michal Fargo’s work featured on Ceramics Now

“In my work, I am driven by textures, materials and non-traditional working methods.

The main subject I deal with is the thin line between imitation and interpretation – My work portraits the contrast between an urban lifestyle and a remote admiration of nature. When I work, I use the most naive and (sometimes) barbaric technique swhile facing industrial materials. I try to capture a longing for authentic nature and at the same time to celebrate its progress and many benefits, and perhaps combine both emotions into one.

If I had to sum my main ambition in my work I would say that I seek authenticity that comes from a personal aesthetic perception. The fine definitions of art, craft and design seem to me unnecessary in relation to my work. While working on a piece, it is not so much a ‘narrative’ that I’m after, but rather, visibility and the abstract feelings that may be summoned by viewing the form. 

As an artist I would like to think that I am a highly individual maker searching for an aesthetic vision that would be completely my own.” Michal Fargo

design.fargo@gmail.com
+972 542549336

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MICHAL FARGO – View works
born in 1984, lives and works in Tel Aviv, Israel

EDUCATION
2007-2011 – Graduate of the Bezalel academy of art and design Jerusalem; B.A from the ceramic design department, expertise in ceramic Design and pottery

COMPETITIONS, AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS
2013 – The 2nd Kaolin Grand Prix, Jingdezhen, China – Bronze award for Modern Ceramic Art
2012 – BCA 2012, Biennale de la Céramique, 2ND place
– Sidney Myer and the Shepparton Art Museum award for international artist
2011 – Winner of the Binyamini first studio scholarship
2010 – “The intelligent hand” competition by Designboom and Macef international; 2 shortlist entries: Handy nut, Contemporary craft

EXHIBITIONS
2014 – (Upcoming) Double exhibition at the Binyamini Ceramic Center, Israel
2013 – Jingdezhen International Ceramic Fair, China
– Kapfenberg Ceramic Biennale, Austria
– Aviero Ceramic Biennale, Portugal (catalog)
– “shift”, group exhibition curated by Shlomit Bauman and Ravit Lazer at the Binyamini center in Tel Aviv
2012 – “Super Bowl”, ceramics exhibition at Tel Aviv’s opera house by Israel’s ceramic association, curated by Esther Beck
– “Else”, Solo exhibition at the Shepparton art museum Australia curated by Elise Routledge (catalog)
– Right here, right now, group exhibition with “4n5 Design Group”
– BCA 2012 – Biennale of contemporary ceramics- Belgium
2011 – “Animals in the farm”, curated by Eran Erlich, group exhibition at “The Farm” gallery, Holon
– “Young Israeli designers” curated by Alon Razgur, group exhibition at the station compound Tel Aviv
– Bezalel graduate exhibition, curated by Eran Erlich
2010 – “handle with care”, group exhibition curated by Emmy Shahar at Design space” gallery, Tel Aviv

EMPLOYMENT
2013 – Teacher in the School Of Visual Art in Beer Sheva
2012-2013 – Adama Ceramic Studio
2012-Present – Typical Local design studio
2011-2012 – Instructor of ceramic sculpting at the Binyamini 
2011-Present – Freelance mold maker
2011-2012 – Instructor of ceramic sculpting at Matnas Ramot
– Workshop manager at the Binyamini Foundation
2011-Present – Writer for Israeli design blog Redesign
2011 – Instructor of ceramic sculpting at the Philip Leon community center
2010-2011 – Workshop assistant at the Bezalel Academy
2009-2011 – Teachers assistant at the Bezalel Academy
2009 – Pottery instructor, Ein Yael active museum

PUBLICATIONS
– SAM catalogue for the Sidny Myer award exhibition
– “eco style”, Dopress Books
– Designboom- “else” (graduation project)
– Design break (Israel) – one on one interview
– Yanko design- “we p” unisex urinal
– Yanko design- handy nut
– Re-design (Israel) – handy nut
– Holon design museum online magazine- “else”
– Interior design magazine, new york, October 2011 issue (print).

COLLECTIONS
– The Jingdezhen Ceramics Museum
– The Holon Design Museum collection, Else project
– The Marge Goldwater collection, Else project
– The Shepparton Art Museum’s collection, Else project
– The Materials Library Holon, Else project

TALKS
– Shepperton Art Museum, Australia – a personal presentation, participation in a panel talk discussing modern ceramics and a master class presentation
– RMIT Collage, Melbourne – presentation for students at the ceramic department
– Shenkar collage, Israel – presentation for students at the external studies department

Visit Michal Fargo’s website.

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