Gideon Rubin

Drawing inspiration from Victorian era photographs and childhood memories alike, Gideon "Gidi" Rubin creates paintings based on early twentieth-century photographs that evoke a sense of nostalgia. Using a subdued palate, Rubin paints simple, familiar scenes—a mother holding a toddler, a boy poking at sand on the beach, a girl pushing a doll stroller—but blurs identifying details, especially his characters' facial features. The muted palettes and blank faces invite the viewer to fill in the details with his or her own memories, constructing an intimate relationship between the artwork and audience.

Rubin's works have been exhibited at numerous public and private institutions, including the National Art Museum of China, the Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, and the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Click here to read our interview with Gideon Rubin about the tragic origins of his work.