THE KINGS PILLOW

1993


SITED AT MAIN ROUND-A-BOUT,

MA'ALOT-TARSHIHA ,
ISRAEL.

Yiftah Marble

2.4m Long x 2m High

First Prize for Sculpture


2nd International Symposium in Stone ,

THE STORY

This work , though it is abstract to all who will see it and maybe have little impact on them it is the local people who  ' see the  message '  in the sculpture . When I make sculpture in different countries I create the work  for the people of that country , that they can relate to it and that they can feel a public pride , a feeling of belonging . Public sculpture can be a ' sensitive issue ' and  to make sculpture that the people do not understand , even partly , is like having an itch that you can't scratch . Public sculpture gives an ' identity ' to the people in the sense of , where they come from , where they are now and where they are going and it's a public statement for all to see in material and form .

So in the making of  THE KINGS PILLOW my main concern in the sculpture was to give the impression of '' Hope '' and using the ' The Phoenix ' was the over all link to the message in the work . The title was the next link to the people and the sculpture then took on  it's own ' Energy '...............




THE PRESS      

Self taught Irish sculptor DAF takes First Prize for sculpture in Israel .
Leinster Leader, Thursday, 6th May 1993 by Vicki Weller


IRISH sculptor DAF has taken a top international award at a symposium held in Israel and is now rapidly becoming regarded as one of the world's artists in his field.


The symposium, held in Northern Israel, close to the border with Lebanon. is a major event held every two years which drew participants from several East European countries, Latin America, Europe and both Israel and Lebanon. Only a selection of the very best international sculptors were invited to take part and DAF was delighted, not only to be selected to take part in the event for as he said, '' that's already the prize ''  but to be named as the FIRST PRIZE winner after completing his work in the local stone in two weeks.


Working in the local stone, DAF didn't stick to his original belief that while working in such a politically sensitive climate he should steer clear of any political or religious-related issues. Instead he followed his instincts and produced an abstract piece which represented the geographical area in which he was working, and his symbolic impression of  'The Phoenix' rising from the ashes. An area where so far Jews and Arabs have succeeded in living peacefully in close proximity.


"There are two villages involved, right next to each other, and the completed sculpture is to be sited between the two villages on a round -a -bout " The work symbolically depicts mutual need and its qualities were deeply appreciated by the adjudicators and those who came to view the works at the symposium.


Israel is known in the art world for it's abstract sculpture and so emerging as a FIRST PRIZE winner in this environment is a justifiable source of satisfaction to DAF and as he says himself  '' My work is an observation on life where I put myself on the edge as the '' observer ''.


The win has brought invitations to other upcoming international events and DAF looks set to be kept very busy in the months if not years ahead.