HANI HALFON
Hani Halfon was born and raised in Israel. As a child, she was taken to see ancient mosaics and became fascinated by the process of their creation - their longevity, their intricacy, their story-telling potential.
For more than 30 years she has dedicated herself to the art of mosaics, vitrage and painting. Among her influences are Antonio Gaudi, Maurice Bennett and Sonia King. Her work has been exhibited around the world.
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The Essence of Psiphas
Hani explains: “creating mosaics brings me inner peace. Each new work gives me a sense of freedom, and I never quite know where it will end. Of course, I’m a bit evangelical when it comes to mosaics - I encourage everyone to have a go. That’s why I’ve put together mosaic kits, to make it easy for you to try yourselves.”
Hani uses natural materials in her mosaics, such as stone and she sets them alongside pieces of glass and vintage crockery. She particularly enjoys the process of giving old china a new life and mixing it with new materials. She points out that Israel is a land where old constantly meets new - and even the name Tel Aviv comes from the yiddish for Old New Land.
The History of Mosaics in Israel
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The word Psiphas means mosaic in Hebrew. It comes from the
Greek psephos, meaning pebble.
Many of the ancient empires who made conquest of the Land of Israel were also makers of mosaics. The Babylonians began making mosaics as early as the second half of the 3rd Millennium BCE. The Greeks did likewise and were known for their figural style, which was later adopted by the Romans. It is the latter, as well as the Byzantines, whose influence in the region led Jewish artists to decorate 5th and 6th century ACE synagogues with floor mosaics, such as in the Synagogues of Zippori, Bet Alfa, and Huqoq.
In Israel the floors of churches and mosques were also decorated with mosaics. The original mosaic on the floor of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is still partly visible. Likewise, the floor of the Dome of the Rock features mosaics with floral motifs, created by craftsmen of the Byzantine tradition.
Across the religions, the same split took place between the figurative style as opposed to the pattern style of mosaics. More liberal communities created figurative designs which told stories, while more conservative communities created patterns of geometrical shapes or flowers.