"My experience at Xenia Creative Retreat in late April was nothing short of transformative. I spent three weeks in this serene haven with my wife and daughter, immersed in the tranquillity of nature’s ever-changing beauty. The retreat provided the perfect backdrop for my work, allowing us to experience wildlife and the essence of a fairytale.

During my stay, I focused on a new series of marbled papers titled “Mirrors.” Marbling is a paper-handling technique with rich roots in the Islamic world and East Asia. It is traditionally used to create intricate patterns on paper for book covers and manuscripts. My exploration of marbling has been a continuous journey, with each project bringing a new approach and discovery.

The process involves diluting natural pigments in water, mixed with materials that alter the paint’s surface tension, allowing it to float and expand on a liquid base. Drops of colour are manipulated to form patterns, which are then transferred to paper treated with a hydrophobic material. The pigments detach from the water and embed within the paper fibres, capturing a moment influenced by every breath and vibration in the room. This technique necessitates a surrender to the laws of physics and the movement of water, leading to unique, incidental prints that immortalize a specific state of mind.

In the “Mirrors” series, I aimed to create defined shapes rather than traditional patterns. Viewing these elliptical shapes vertically, they appear as portals on the paper, suggesting a mental teleportation. One seems to look outward, only to find oneself looking inward. This poetic relationship mirrors the physical logic of marbling in this series. The process begins with a drizzle of white pigment, followed by a drop of colour and a second colour applied within the first. This creates a dynamic tension, with the first colour-pressured both from within by a second colour and from the outside by the white background.

Xenia Creative Retreat provided an idyllic setting that profoundly influenced my work. The peace and inspiration found in its natural surroundings made this residency an unforgettable and enriching experience.

Sincerely,

Maayan Elyakim"

Born

1985,

Tel Aviv

About

Maayan Elyakim is a multidisciplinary artist engaged in a broad spectrum of artistic media. His artistic practice evolves through works that encapsulate various realms of knowledge and expertise. This evolution is the outcome of a lifelong dedication to acquiring techniques from diverse artistic and craft traditions, coupled with in-depth research across disciplines such as art history, the sciences and mythology. By this, he aspires to foster new connections between material and spiritual worlds that accumulate into a growing personal cosmology, transcending time and style.

Maayan's work has been presented in museums, galleries, and public spaces. Some notable venues include the Tel Aviv Museum of Art (2022); Labirynt Gallery, Lublin, Poland (2021); The Schocken Library, Jerusalem (2018); Sommer Gallery (2018); Pulchri Studio, The Hague, NL (2015); and many more. He has participated in residencies and fellowship programs, including Artport TLV, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, and Pilchuck Glass School. Currently serving as an Artist on Campus at the Technion Institute of Technology. Maayan is also faculty member at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, and at the Shenkar School of Art. He currently works on a solo show intended to open January 2025 at the Neutra VDL research house in Los Angeles.

Visit Maayan's website for more information about him.