About
Sara Benninga is a contemporary painter focusing on the human figure and narrative.
In her work Benninga constructs paintings dealing with subjects of femininity, sexuality, experience, and psychological tension. Benninga refers to art history, questioning the ways in which narratives have been visually represented.
Benninga also lectures in the Department of Visual and Material Culture at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, as well as in the Department of Art History at Tel Aviv University.
Benninga holds a PhD in art history from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, as well as a BFA from Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, a BA in art history and literature from Tel Aviv University and a MA in art history from the Hebrew University.
Solo and Double Exhibitions:
2023
In the Hall of the Muses, Litvak Contemporary, Tel Aviv. Curator: Hadas Glazer (Sep. 7th to Nov. 24th).
2023
New Members, Jerusalem Artists’ House.
Curator: Meydad Eliyahu (Sep. 2nd to Nov. 4th).
2023
Double exhibition Close, Museum on the Seam, Jerusalem. Curator: Avital Wexler.
2022
Solo exhibition Looking Beyond, Tal Gallery, Kfar Vradim. Curator: Ady Greenfeld.
2021
Solo exhibition Bacchanal, Maya Gallery, Tel Aviv.
2019
Artist Wall, Maya Gallery, Tel Aviv.
2017
2017: Double exhibition Trickle, The New Gallery Artists' Studios, Jerusalem.
Curator: Tamar Gispan-Greenberg.
2012
Graduation exhibition, Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem.
Curators: Joseph Krispel and Yochai Avrahami.
Group Exhibitions:
2023
Us and Them, Wahat al Salam, Neve Shalom.
Curated by: Dyana Shaloufi Rizek.
2023
Fresh Paint, Tel Aviv.
Curated by: Raz Shapira and Yifat Gurion.
2022
Girotondo, Litvak Contemporary, Tel Aviv.
Curator: Hadas Glazer.
2021
Bloodline: The Artist’s Family, Litvak Contemporary, Tel Aviv.
Curator: Hadas Glazer.
2021
Draw me a Child, Illustration Week, Tel Aviv.
Curated by Tal Frenkel Alroy.
2020
Portrait, Salon Hacubia.
Curated by Ella Cohen Vansover and Dan Ormian.
2019
Present Occurrences: Winners of the Young Artists Scholarship, Jerusalem Print Workshop.
Curator: Irena Gordon.
2019
Civilized Jungle, Gallery of David Yellin Academic College of Education.
Curator: Nava T. Barazani.
2018
Life is Beautiful, Rosenbach Contemporary Art Gallery, Jerusalem.
2018
Pnina Yuchtman Prize, Rali Museum, Cesaerea.
Curator: Uri Rosenwein.
2018
Eclectics, Koresh 14, Jerusalem.
Curator: Vered Hadad.
2017
Man’s Man, Jerusalem Biennale.
Curators: Porat Salomon and Ronen Yizhaki.
2017
Salon, Hakubia, Jerusalem.
Curators: Dan Ormian and Ella Cohen Vansover.
2017
Artist’s Appointment, Manofim, Jerusalem Contemporary Art Festival.
Curator: Hadas Glazer.
2016
Hallway Conversations, The New Gallery, Jerusalem.
Curator: Tamar Gispan-Greenberg.
2016
Acquaintance: Chapter 1, The New Gallery, Jerusalem.
Curator: Tamar Gispan-Greenberg.
2016
Barbur 24 hour residency, Jerusalem.
2015
Singles, Koresh 14 Gallery, Jerusalem.
Curator: Vered Hadad.
2015
Salon, Hakubia, Jerusalem.
Curators: Dan Ormian and Ella Cohen Vansover.
2015
Demons and Ghosts, The New Gallery, Jerusalem.
Curator: Hedva Shemesh.
2014
Bread and Roses, Art sale exhibition, Tel Aviv.
2013
Intervals, Art sale exhibition, Tel Aviv.
Residencies
2018: Asylum Arts Retreat, Garrison, New York.
Prizes and Awards
2016: Young Artists Scholarship, The Jerusalem Print Workshop.
Press
Friend of the Artist, vol. 18, May 2024
Whitehot Magazine review, Jan Castro Garden, October 2023
Ynet article, Leny Cohen, September 19th, 2023.
Gallery Cover article, Haaretz newspaper, January 18th, 2023.
Featured painting and statement in AJS Perspectives, Fall 2021, pp. 24-25.
Featured painting in Thoughts on Food, Department of Visual and Material Culture, Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, 2021.
Cover Image and artist statement, Mantis: A Journal of Poetry, Criticism and Translation,
Stanford University, Issue 19 (2021).
Editor’s Choice, publication of three paintings, Terminal Art Magazine, July 2020,
editor: Rachel Sukman.
Education
PhD. in art history, Hebrew University of Jerusalem (July 2017).
M.A. in art history, Hebrew University, completed “cum laude” (2009).
BFA Bezalel Academy of Art and Design (2012).
B.A. in art history and comparative literature, Tel Aviv University, completed “summa cum laude” (2006).
Work Experience
2018 - present: Lecturer at Tel Aviv University, Art History Department.
2016 - present: Lecturer at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, Visual and Material Culture Department.