Amit Kanfi
Amit Kanfi began painting at age 19, following the military operation “Protective Edge" in July 2014, which left him with emotional scars and deep trauma. The machoistic environment, which characterizes the combat units, did not allow him to share the mental difficulties he was facing with those around him. The notebook and pencil served as a safe space where he could shout his authentic voice and release the burden of dealing alone with what the world presented to him.
During his teenage years, Kanfi moved from country to country, following his father's job. He adapted to the society surrounding him in his family's journeys, examined the aesthetics and characteristics of those who surrounded him, and became a short-time local in each place he landed.
During his late adolescence, he lived in Amsterdam, where he discovered punk culture. Kanfi adapted the style, musical taste, and cultural mimics of the scene. When he returned to Israel after graduating high school, he had to adapt to the society surrounding him again. As serving in the Israeli army is mandatory, Amit joined at 18 and served in an elite combat unit.
In the following years after the Army, Amit dedicated most of his time to healing the mental scars and trauma he had taken with him from the war through creating art. Amit started with street art, slowly moved into the studio, and adapted his creations onto mostly canvases.
Collect Bean: What does growth mean to you?
Amit Kanfi: To me, the beginning of growth means understanding my painting process and diving deeper into it as time goes on. Also, as I grow and mature as an artist, I learn to trust myself solely. Growth is realising the importance of creating genuine paintings and not thinking about what would “sell.”
Collect Bean: What does an ideal day in your studio look like?
Amit Kanfi: for me, an ideal day would start slow. I go up to my studio with my coffee and start stretching the canvas I will paint on. I always play music on my little JBL speaker. I then either start painting if I already have an idea, or I sit and brainstorm until I think of something that pinches me enough to go on a canvas. Then I dive into a whole lot of spray paint and masking tape (I don’t know how long my lungs will last at this pace, lol).
Collect Bean: What is the kindest thing someone can tell you about your work?
Amit Kanfi: Wow, nice painting!
Collect Bean: Where are you currently finding inspiration?
Amit Kanfi: I’m currently finding inspiration from memes. I just came out of a three-year period in which I only painted horses inspired by this old man I know who only draws horses in his notebooks. So, it feels very refreshing to get inspired by something else now.
Collect Bean: What does your painting process look like from start to finish?
Amit Kanfi: I usually start by painting the figure with lots of masking tape and spray, and then I end it by painting the background.
Collect Bean: How does where you grew up influence your work?
Amit Kanfi: I started painting to deal with my PTSD condition from being a combat soldier and fighting a war in 2014 at age 19. So, I pretty much feel that without growing up here in Israel, I would have never found myself painting.
Collect Bean: If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Amit Kanfi: Don’t be an artist, lol.
Collect Bean: What is one of your current goals as an artist?
Amit Kanfi: My goal is to make great paintings
Collect Bean: How do you decide on the subject matter for a painting?
Amit Kanfi: It has to be something that really pinches me. Like it needs to move something inside me. Sometimes, it takes a lot of time for me to come up with an idea.
