About Gabriel wolff
 

Gabriel Wolff was born in Munich, where he spent his early childhood before immigrating to Israel. In Jerusalem he developed a special connection to the scribes - craftsmen working in the small alleys of Jerusalem, patiently copying Torah scrolls by hand. He learned their art, drawing inspiration from their deep understanding of the connection between the Hebrew letters and the Divine. It is here, that his love for calligraphy and ink found an anchor.

Ever since, Gabriel has been developing his singular style of Hebrew calligraphy. Unlike the traditional scribes who take pains to avoid any alteration of the letters, Gabriel embarked on a journey of reinvention: shaping the ancient letters to create new meanings. The phrasing of his own Jewish identity through Hebrew calligraphy art has echoed with many others. Alongside establishing a large body of works on canvas and paper, Gabriel has founded Hebrew Tattoos, creating thousands of custom-made Hebrew calligraphy tattoo designs.

"The Jewish identity has always been shaped by the precedence of literacy”, writes Gabriel. "Regardless of geographical location, profession or class — learning how to read and write was a prerequisite for every Jew. Hebrew played a main part in it, even if it wasn't always fully understood. This lingual predicate constitutes a deep tie between Jews from different places and generations. I explore this deep connection through my art. What I'm fascinated by most of all, is the liminal space between the individual and collective identities. Like many Jews in my generation, I am busy actively shaping my Jewishness on my own terms. Yet at the same time, by using Hebrew letters and words, I place myself and my art within a wide web of historical, cultural and social meaning”.     

Having moved between Europe, Jerusalem and Buenos Aires, Gabriel finally settled in Berlin in 2017, where he creates inside a vibrant community of Jewish and Israeli artists.