There's huge potential for cultural exchanges between Israel, India: Israeli illustrator David Polonsky

By Ayushi Agarwal
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 22 : David Polonsky, the award-winning Israeli illustrator who visited India recently, said that there is a huge potential for cultural exchanges and cooperation between the people of both countries and that he hopes to see more joint collaborations between both the nations in future.
"This was my first visit to India, so everything was new and exciting. It was interesting to see story-telling in traditional artworks. It was exciting to visit India. I was especially moved by the multitude of cultural layers in the streets of Kolkata, the mix of architectural styles, and the way trees intertwine with buildings... It's sort of what I'm looking for in my work. There is huge potential for cultural exchanges and cooperation between the people of both countries. So I hope we continue to see more joint collaborations between both nations in the future", Polonsky told ANI.
Highlighting Further the two countries as ancient civilizations, David said that there is love and admiration between the people of both countries and that both share a lot in common.
"Both countries are two ancient civilizations with close cultural links and historical ties. Israelis see Indians as their friends. There is much love and admiration. Both also share a lot in common in the field of culture and art. I hope that our relations and cultural ties continue to flourish over the coming years", he added.
Notably, his visit comes at a time when India and Israel celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Polonsky's work ranges from illustrations for newspapers, magazines, and children's books, to stage and cinema design. His projects include the design of the animated documentary Waltz with Bashir and an adaptation of Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl to a graphic novel that has been translated into more than 25 languages. He has won numerous awards, including two Israeli Film Academy Awards and an Andersen Award for children's books illustrations.
The Embassy of Israel in India collaborated with Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata to host David on 14th November 2022.
David is also known as the first illustrator to have a solo exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum. Elaborating on his work, he said that he feels lucky as it is not common for illustrators to get to exhibit their works at museums.
"The ongoing solo exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art is a retrospective of my work. As an illustrator, I feel lucky because it is not common for illustrators to get to exhibit their works at museums.
This exhibition presents sketches and sources of inspiration for diverse projects that allow a glimpse of my work process and how different styles collide and mix in a work. An illustrator is usually expected to develop a distinct personal style, a brand of sorts, but when I was starting out I couldn't settle on a single approach. I wanted to try everything and gradually this shapeshifting became a style of its own. I feel that style is an important part of conveying a message, so in each project I ask myself what would be best for the story, considering its cultural connotations and technical demands", said Polonsky.
Speaking about his further plans, he said that he is working on a video installation for the Museum of the History of Jerusalem, about the three religions of the city: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The award-winning illustrator attended the Tata Literature Live, The Mumbai LitFest from 11 to 13 November 2022.
This was David's first visit to India which he calls 'memorable' and hopes to get back soon. "Visiting India was a memorable experience. So I hope I get to come back here soon", he said.