Being unpredictable is characteristic of surrealism founder of which has been Salvador Dali. This quality made exciting all his works.
 Parentage, religious ideas and political views by Dali have been very far from Judaism in our sense. The vector of his political likings which the painter’s spouse Gala influenced on, was directed to the right and opposite side relative to communists and revolutionaries. In 1934 at the height of the crisis among surrealists, he was driven out their rows for counter-revolutionary views and positive statements concerning Hitler who promised to put in order in Europe. Dali himself denied his adherence toward the Stalinism or Hitlerism and asked to consider him dalinist, and nobody else. He and his wife were afraid of a revolution accompanied by anarchy, riots and madness of the crowd, defended individualism and aspired to luxury and comfort. In 1940 they have emigrated for USA where the painter’s aspiration to provoke society with his pictures manifested in the most brilliant degree.
     Taking into account afore-said, it’s difficult to explain the change of the painter’s interests to the side of Judaism and Zionism while the creation of the State of Israel has played an important role.
      Majority of works dedicated to Judaism and Israel has been created by the painter between 1950 and 1980. Thirty years for Dali is too long period of constancy and devotion to the same thematic! These works were executed with asceticism unusual for the painter as well as restriction of creative modes typical for him such as double paranoia pictures, dismemberment and deformation of bodies. Some drawings are realistic. Absence of “stunning” witnesses about strict approach of the painter for a subject selected.
      Let us dwell on the basic cycles of this little known side of Dali creative work. The series of 25 lithographs named “Aliya” (1968) is opened with the drawing of the youth with the curly head thrown back and the torso thrown by the Israel banner with the David blue star. The dramatic scenes of Kholocost (prisoners beyond the barbed wire, the swastika over the perished and the star of David as the symbol of hope in the heaven). The Jew investigating characters of the Pentateuch. The ship under the banner with the six-end star arriving to the Palestinian coast. The battle at the Jerusalem hill. Proclamation of the declaration about foundation of Israel in 1948 and the portrait of Ben-Gurion.
     These drawings are the most approximate to practical reality and almost deprived of delirious images typical for Dali’s creative work.
     Etchings of the cycle “The song of songs” (1971) – czar Solomon, images of love are refined. The technique of old painters is copied in some of them.
     The cycle “Twelve tribes of Israel” (1973) is dedicated to 25 years of the Jewish state, and consists of 13 tonic etchings. Refined multi-coloured etchings contain images from other Dali’s works. According to the experts’ opinion this cycle confirms a mystical character of origin and immortality of Israeli civilization (Jewish culture and its immortality).
     The cycle “Our prophets” (1975) is realized in the same technique: Moses with the tables, like a balloon; Elijah on the toy horse; Noah’s Ark; Solomon in long falling clothes; the bearded king Saul with the gold crown; Adam and Eva stretching out her hand for an apple – the gift of the Dragon-Tempter.
     The relief “Moses and monotheism” and drawings for this theme called up by creative work of Zigmund Frade as well relate to the most interesting works of the painter. Salvador Dali considered the Frade’s psychoanalysis as one of fundamentals of the surrealism. He retraced connection between Judaism and Christianity in the image of Moses considering this prophet as un-Jew. The Egyptian origin of Moses is underlined in the drawings. His portrait painted with a black pen is very interesting.
     Opening of the exhibition “Hello, Dali” took place at Rishon-le-Zion in 13 years after the painter’s death. The president of Israel Moshe Kacav, the mayor of Rishon-le-Zion Meir Nizan and other invited persons expressed profound thanks to Jan-Paul Delkurt, the collector of the represented collection consisting out of 200 afore little known lithographs and also reliefs and sculptures. The following works were marked especially: lamp, relief with image of praying Jew – “Commandments”. The picture “The Wailing Wall” was also marked. The subjects of applied art were shown also: jewels, medals, mezuzas.
     Opening of the five-meter bronze lamp of the Peace in front of the entrance to the Israeli airport “Ben-Gurion” on 21 July 1998 was preceded to the exhibition. Dali has expressed his delight to geniuses of Jewish people and Israel in the portraits of Albert Einstein, Zigmund Freid, Moshe Dayan and Ben-Gurion carried out in technique of etching.
    The president of Israel Moshe Kacav said while opening the exhibition that nobody of the great painters of the last century who were not Jews did not express in their creative works such a love for Jewish People, his traditions, to the State of Israel and Zionism as Salvador Dali; that he sang the revival of the Jewish nation in his creative works.
    The great painter addressed to Jews with such words:
     "You, Jewish people, selected sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For your resolution to keep up traditions, for joy to sanctify your solemnity I have created this lamp and the Wailing Wall. I want to see a respect to your people in aureole of these serene and joyous lights until you offer prayers for your ancestors with an unshakable faith ".

Boris Rubenchik, e-slovo 

19-05-2004