naive art paintings of tel aviv city by israeli painter raphael perez folk naife artworks urban landscape painter Print

Raphael Perez, also known as Rafi Peretz, is an Israeli artist renowned for his naïve style paintings and his exploration of personal and sexual identity through art123. Born in 1965 in Jerusalem, Perez was exposed to the works of great painters by his father from a young age. . Perez served in the Israel Defense Forces in the Artillery Corps. Perez began painting at the age of 23 and studied art at the College of Visual Arts in Beersheba from 1989 to 19921. Since 1995, he has been living and working in Tel Aviv1. For 15 years, Perez worked as a counselor at a youth shelter and taught art and sports at a pre-school. Perez’s artistic career is characterized by his vibrant colors and cheerful depiction of life in cities like Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem. His naïve style paintings capture the essence of these cities and their urban landscapes, highlighting their iconic buildings and sites. His work presents an idealized vision of these cities that is both beautiful and vibrant. Perez’s early work focused on human relationships, sometimes using flowers as a metaphor. He created a series of flower paintings from 1995 to 1998, reflecting his emotional turmoil and struggle with his sexual orientation. His flower paintings are not mere illustrations or decorations. They are autobiographical and psychological expressions of his inner state. In addition to his naïve style paintings, Perez is known for his homoerotic gay art. His gay paintings depict intimate scenes between men, male couples raising a baby, or the homosexual version of the Garden of Eden. He describes his art as "a reflection of the entire gay community – people in the closet, mature love, gay families, gay political icons and cultural icons". Perez has also created artist books that deal with the influence of children’s paintings on an adult artist. These sketchbooks contain drawings, paintings, collages, and writings that reflect his artistic process and inspiration. With the Israeli poet Smadar Sharett, Perez created three books of paintings and poems that were published in 2021. Perez is openly gay and has been in a relationship since 2013 with Assaf Henigsberg, who also served as a model for some of his paintings. His work is a testament to his journey as an artist and individual navigating through life’s complexities while staying true to his identity.