Hadas Ophrat
Teaching and Professional Studies
Graduate in Literature and General Philosophy of Tel Aviv University, 1972-1975
Extramural Study, Osaka University of Art and Bunraku and Noh Theater Studies, 1984-1986
Taught at the School of Visual Theater (1986-2006)
Served on the Faculty of Theater Studies at Tel Aviv University (1979-1984) and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1998-2000)
Has taught in the Art-Society-City-Sustainability track at the Cube in collaboration with the David Yellin Seminar, Jerusalem since 2013, at the Puppet Theater Center in Holon (since 2010), and at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance (since 2015).
Leadership & Management
Founder and chairman of Arteam – Interdisciplinary Art Team (2008-2014). The society established and operates the Lewinsky Garden Library for migrant and refugee communities, as well as the Centers for Culture and Studies in Tel Aviv.
Chairman of the Interdisciplinary Hazira Center, Jerusalem, and its first director, 1994-2004
Founder of the School of Visual Theater, Jerusalem, and its first director, 1986-1992
A founder of the Train Theater, Jerusalem, and its first director (1980). First director and artistic director of the Voice of the Word Festival (2002-2003), Festival Phenomena for Performance Art (1996), and the International Puppet Theater Festival (1986-1992).
Founded and directed UNIMA (Union International de la Marionette) (1981-1993). The Israel center functions under the auspices of UNESCO.
Performances
Israel Museum, Bat Yam Museum, Barbur Gallery, Musrara Mix, The Interdisciplinary Theater Hazira, Shelter 209, Performance Stage, Time and Art Gallery, The International Biennale for Performance Art, “Obfuscation” at the Kalisher Gallery and Kibbutz Nachshon. A series of “He’ara” events of the Salamanca Group at site-specific locations in Jerusalem.
Art of the Land Festival at the Reading Power Station, Acre Festival for Alternative Israeli Theater, Genre Project at the Tmunah Theater, Musrara Mix, The Center for Contemporary Culture (Barcelona), and the Berlin Staatbank performance space.
Exhibitions
Barbur Gallery, Jerusalem, 2015
The Lobby Art Space, Tel Aviv, 2015
Solo exhibition at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 2007
The Hebrew University Gallery, Jerusalem, 2004-2005
Avni Gallery, Tel Aviv, 2004
Nachshon Gallery, Kibbutz Nachshon, 2004
The Center for Digital Art, Holon, 2003-2004
Be’eri Gallery, Kibbutz Be’eri, 2002
Gallery Shira & Bat Sheva, Jerusalem, 1998
Mani H. Gallery, Tel Aviv
The University Gallery, Tel Aviv, 1997
Group Shows – Sculpture, Photography, Media Installations
Tel Aviv Museum, The Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art, The Ein Hod Sculpture Biennale, Novolog Project at the Kalisher Gallery (Tel Aviv), the Berlin Staatbank performance space, and the Robert Sanderson Gallery (London)
Group Shows – Stage Design
Israel Museum Youth Wing (Jerusalem), the Tel Aviv Museum, the Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art, the Habima Theater, Prague Biennale for Stage Design
Other Exhibitions
Natan Alterman Centenary Exhibition design, “A Poet in His Hometown,” Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv, 2010
Exhibition curated by Merav Davish Ben Moshe, Agrippas Gallery 12, Migdal, 2010
Curation and design of dozens of major exhibitions at the Interdisciplinary Hazira Gallery, Jerusalem, 1999-2004
Curation and poster exhibition design, congresses at the International Convention Center – Binyenei HaUma, Jerusalem, 1983
Professional consultant for a major exhibition of puppet theatre, Haifa Museum of Art, 1982
Theater
Designed and directed 25 performances of visual theater and puppet theater for adults, from 1975-1993. Two of these productions won the Acre Festival Prize for Alternative Israeli Theater.
Premiers of Israeli and international festivals in France, Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia, and a series of performances at the Centre George Pompidou, Paris, as part of the “Kafka’s Century” exhibition.
Publications
Eight performances, DVD, 2000-2005
Four catalogs from solo exhibitions
Too Much Reality: About Performance Art, Kibbutz HaMeuchad, 2012
Conversations With Puppets: About Contemporary Puppet Theater, National Culture Basket, 2008
You Would Die: Artistic Biography, Gvaanim, 2004
Two books of poetry: Threshold (Masada, 1976) and Selected Poems (Bush, 1973)
A variety of articles about visual theater and puppet theater in anthologies and professional journals in Israel and abroad
Awards
- Minister of Culture Award for Fine Art, 2008
- Israel Prize for Performing Arts, 2016