Porat Salomon, 2021

Graphite and pastel oil on paper, 20 x 20 cm.

Porat stayed the night in our home, and early the next day he came into our kitchen with this painting. Still half asleep, I looked at the painting and asked him if he had dreamed of a Roman emperor, and painted him when he woke up.
I drew you, he replied.
Porat is a multidisciplinary artist. His work is meticulous, and his artistic vision and delivery are precise. Here too, his decision to frame the head with a gold ring is not incidental. The gilded circle is reminiscent of ancient coins on which heroes of the period were commemorated.
So here is a drawing of my head encircled in gold. I am not a heroine of our time, but the very act of painting my portrait connected me to a glorious tradition. When one receives such a gift, it evokes a feeling of timelessness.