Matanya Abramson

Matanya Abramson (1920–2004) was an Israeli sculptor whose sculptures have been exhibited worldwide as well as in Israel. Matanya was a versatile artist who worked in marble, stone, and wood, as well as with bronze, aluminum and copper castings.

Abramson was born in Kinneret, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. He was the son of a pioneering farmer family that immigrated from Russia in the early 1900s.

Abramson started painting during his childhood. After completing studies at the Mikve Israel agricultural school, he studied painting with various Israeli artists. He spent 12 years in military service in the Haganah, JSP, Royal Navy, Palyam, Palmach and the IDF.

After the 1947–1949 Palestine war, Abramson studied sculpture from Schwarzmann and Koso Elul and spent 6 months in Paris in 1954. After returning from Paris, he went back to the farm in the Kinneret and worked in agriculture, pursuing art in his free time.

In 1959, Abramson left the farming village and moved to the artists' quarter in Safed.

In 1962 he went to Italy for two years, pursuing his art. Six months were spent in the marble mines in Carrara, and a year and a half was spent in Florence. All his works from Italy were sent to an exhibition in New York in October 1963.

In 1964 he came back to Israel, living in the Ein-Kerem neighborhood of Jerusalem. In 1965 Abramson moved to Old Jaffa..

Abramson died in February 2004 and was buried in his home village, Kinneret, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.