|
Born in 1946
He has the Belgian nationality and
lives and works in Antwerp. He studied in Israel, in
Haifa and Jerusalem and at the Academy of Fine Arts
in Berchem-Antwerp. He made study tours and attended
in seminaries and symposiums in Germany, France, Tsjechia,
the United States, Switserland, Holland, Denmark, Spain
and Austria. His works are in all the glass museums
respecting themselves, among others in Corning (New
York), Brooklyn, Cobourg, Frauenau, Valencia, Curtius
(Liege). He realised the perfect integration of glass
art in architecture as the 38 m2 glass windows in the
Portuguese synagogue in Antwerp in 1982 that had been
heavily damaged by a terrorist attack. In 1987 he installed
a 20 m2 glass window in the home of rest also in Antwerp.
He inspired three filmmakers who made documentaries
on glass art. He was charged by the Flemish Community
to make a film when Minister Poma managed the Ministry
of Culture. This same minister has granted him the “Prize
of the Vocation” in 1985. He designs his own machines,
experiments, corrects with the fanaticism of someone
who is possessed and fort whom glass and marble are
pre-eminently materials. He practises a technique with
sand and an acid bath; he engraves, perforates and cuts
with an appliance that is based on the power of diamond,
the hardest of all materials. Diamond can only be worked
by diamond itself. This explains the origin of the word
that comes from the Greek “adamas”, unbendable.
He improves the glass earth and has mastered glass blowing,
he combines repeatedly these different techniques by
placing more than once one upon another. On and with
glass he can do everything: engraving, encrusting, the
stained-glass windows, relief sculptures, and bulging.
Leibovitz’s direct method, without any preceding
sketch, is based on belief and superstition, on natural
impulses, spontaneous action, and a positive philosophy
of life. As he thinks with the speed of lightening and
as the his control of the material is indisputable,
surprising forms appear from his blowpipe, picturesque,
sculptural, double or triple layered, with the rhythm
of a natural something that goes without saying. Rock-crystal
and water are gifts of nature: man invented glass, probably
accidentally, several thousands of years ago. Since
then man has imposed his will on it and written his
wishes in it. This same purpose inspires Edward Leibovitz
and urges him to reflect his temperament in artistic
fantasies of glass.
|
Video >