 |
Aaron AvniIsraeli sculptor, architect
Date of Birth: 01.01.1906
Country:  Israel |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Born in Yekaterinoslav, Ukraine, to an engineer father, Moshe Castel grew up in a family surrounded by creativity. He attended a Jewish gymnasium and later studied at the Moscow Academy of Arts from 1923 to 1925.
Movement and Training
Castel became an active member of the HeHalutz movement, a Zionist youth organization. In the mid-1920s, he immigrated to Palestine, where he continued his artistic training at the prestigious Bezalel Academy of Art and Design from 1925 to 1928. He further honed his skills at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris in the early 1930s.
Studio and Teaching
After returning from Paris, Castel established the Histadrut Art Studio in Jaffa (now Tel Aviv) in 1936. He led the institution until his passing, overseeing its transformation into the Castel Institute of Painting and Sculpture, named in his honor. Notable students under his tutelage included Ziona Tagger and Nahum Gutman.
Academic Influence
In 1948, Castel founded the College for Teachers of Fine Arts, where he taught architecture and mathematics. His dedication to education earned him wide recognition, including the Histadrut Prize and the Dizengoff Prize in 1935, 1937, and 1938.
