Gabriel Bass
Wood, glass, and Metal
Art and Installations
The Ari teaches that before time light was trapped in 10 vessels. The vessels were shattered. Tikkun is man’s responsibility- to find the sparks in the world and reunify the vessels. Man was placed in this world with the knowledge to continue to create with the materials and elements used to sculpt them.
Gabriel has dedicated himself to developing unique joining techniques in glass, wood and metal. He collects the off-cuts of solid wood from building holy furniture, joining them back together, and re-endowing them with life.
His work can be found in institutions, galleries, museums, and private collections around the world.
A selection of Gabriel’s Most Recent Collections:
Creation
עשרים ושתים אותיות חקקן חצבן שקלן והמירן צרפן וצר בהם נפש כל כל היצור ונפש כל העתיד לצור
He hath formed, weighed, transmuted, composed, and created with these twenty-two letters every living being, and every soul yet uncreated.
– Sefer Hayetzira 2:2
Light
וְכָל הַנִּצוֹצוֹת שֶׁנִּתְפַּזְּרוּ עַל יָדֵינוּ אוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וּבְעָוֹן אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶר חָטָא בְפֵירוֹת הָאִילָן עַתָּה יָשׁוּבוּ לְהִתְכַּלֵּל בְּעוֹז הֲדַר עֵץ הַחַיִים
May all the holy sparks that were scattered by us or by our forefathers, or by Adam who sinned with the fruit of The Tree, now be collected into the glorious power of the Tree of Life.
-Introductory prayer from the Pri Etz Hadar
Flow
There is force in the universe, which, if we permit it, will flow through us and produce miraculous results.
Mahatma Gandhi
Flight
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you will always long to return
– Leonardo da Vinci
Living with the Elements
וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם
And the spirit of God soared over the waters
– Genesis 1:2
