Closer Than This, 2023

Abraham Aronovitch  

Abraham Aronovitch is a French figurative painter, born in 1953 and based in Paris. In his series Behind the Obvious, a blue figure faces the bathroom mirror: a figuration he calls oneiro-existential. A former ophthalmic surgeon, he is a self-taught painter.

Abraham Aronovitch: An Aesthetics of Vision and Reflection

Abraham Aronovitch's work falls within a oneiro-existential figuration where figurative painting serves as a vehicle for a psychological exploration of intimacy. A former ophthalmic surgeon, the artist shifts his expertise from organic vision to an analysis of sensory perception. This transition from science to canvas imbues his self-taught approach with a rare acuity, making the act of looking the central subject of his creation.

The bathroom: a theatre of intimacy

Through her compositions, the everyday space of the bathroom is transformed into a symbolic space. The mirror is not an accessory, but a tool for spatial deconstruction that fragments bodies and redistributes perspectives. Between bluish silhouettes and fleeting reflections, he captures those moments of latency where the individual, facing his own face, oscillates between waking dream and questioning his being.

"Behind the Obvious": Beyond appearances

His iconic series, Behind the Obvious, explores the duality between social image and mental reality. Far from a traditional narrative, Abraham Aronovitch refuses to impose a fixed story. His canvases capture states of mind—doubts, expectations, silences—leaving the viewer complete freedom of interpretation. By suspending time and meaning, he invites an immersive experience where visual ambiguity becomes a gateway to contemporary identity.