On June 5th, the exhibition “GlücksTon” (“Tone of Joy” / “Clay of Joy”) opened at Galerie Vinogradov, Berlin, under the fitting motto:
“Modern art can also simply be beautiful.”
The sculptures of Elya Yalonetski leave few viewers emotionally untouched. The powerful expressiveness of her faces and the flowing elegance of her figures recall the works of Chagall and Modigliani. As in Russian icon painting, Yalonetski follows a visual canon: large eyes framed by high-set brows, and a prominently stylized nose shaped with clear, angular lines.
Her artistic themes are broad, depicting lovers, mythological and fantasy worlds, playful nods to the Rococo era, ethereal angels, and motifs from Jewish heritage.
She studied at the well-known Abramtsevo Art School, dedicated to the Russian painter Viktor Vasnetsov and recognized for its leadership in applied arts since the 19th century. Before moving to Berlin, she lived in Israel and Moscow.
For this special exhibition, she collaborated with a group of international musicians to give the ancient medium of Ton, meaning both clay and tone: a new kind of resonance. Each sculpture was paired with an original musical composition, ranging from minimalist soundscapes to experimental guitar improvisations.
Visitors were often amazed at how much life Yalonetski manages to breathe into clay, more than most would think possible for such a material.
Whether that’s true? You could decide for yourself at GlücksTon.
Sound support by:
DLed (St.Petersburg/München)
Joel Enzo (München)
Atmosphaira (Berlin)
Synapsis (Berlin/Tel Aviv)
The store section on this website is reserved exclusively for artists Patreon supporters. By joining, you not only support my art but also gain private access to artworks, limited editions, and behind-the-scenes creations that are not available anywhere else. You are welcome! patreon.com/yalonetski