“The Bull”

Israeli artist Gadi Fraiman is often called a “man of the land”. He has been sculpting for nearly 30 years and has established a school of sculpture for works in stone and bronze. His work can be seen throughout Israel and Europe, and now Leawood.

Fraiman was hosted by the Jewish Federation of Kansas City to participate in the Jewish Community Center’s biannual art show in 2010. Fraiman was also in Leawood in 2009 with the Gezer Delegation for the dedication of Gezer Park. His monumental stone sculpture of a paleo-Hebrew agricultural calendar is a feature located at the entrance of Gezer Park.

“The Bull” is sculpted from Jerusalem Stone, actually mined in Jerusalem. The abstract sculpture is a medley of contrasts. The evident image of the bulls head represents power, which is complimentary to the power of the stone itself. However, the elegant curves of the image are sleek and graceful. The warm orange hues of the natural stone are contrasted by the cool, smooth stone surface.

The seductive planes of the layers of the stone, sweep into the points of the bull’s horns. The sculpture almost begs the viewer to touch it.

When examined from different angles, the piece represents different sides of a bull’s head or even multiple bulls’ heads. The horns appear on opposite sides of the sculpture pointing in opposing directions, creating multiple facets of one bull, or perhaps this is a representation of many bulls. The sculptor allows each viewer his own interpretation.

This sculpture was donated to the City of Leawood by artist Gadi Fraiman in celebration of Leawood’s Sister City relationship with the Gezer Region of Israel. The Art in Public Places Initiative is pleased to add this sculpture to the City of Leawood’s permanent collection of art not only as representative of our affection with the people of our Sister City, but also as a beautiful artwork in its own right.