Abrahão Sanovicz: the individual beyond the architect

Abstract

This article seeks to investigate the influence of the socialist Zionism of the Dror youth movement on the selected drawings produced by Abrahão Sanovicz (1933-1999), unraveling the possible and complementary relations between architecture, art, religion, politics, and culture. We have explored part of his career that lies beyond architecture, immersing ourselves in his artistic universe. Thus, we intend to reflect on how Judaism and the question of Jewish identity were present throughout his life, and his artistic and architectural production. In Sanovicz's production of drawings and engravings, it is possible to see the strong presence of his Jewish experience and the symbolism of this tradition. From this new perspective, using his religious upbringing as a root and the experience lived within it, I seek to understand his work in a particular way, understanding how this artist and architect is situated in time and space. Investigating unexplored aspects of his trajectory through the lens of Judaism provides a new perspective on his career, professional practices and artistic and architectural production and, thus, reflects on how Judaism and Jewish identity echoed throughout his life in these aspects, even though he declared himself an atheist in public life.