This story is about the Israeli master, working with glass. His history is surprising, as well as he himself. Gideon was born and has grown in Tel Aviv, but in 1965 has moved to live in other Israeli city –Arad. It is a small city which is located around Negev desert, on the way to the Dead Sea and a fortress of Masada.  When Israel was Ottoman empire province, the modern city of Arad did not exist. The city building has begun only in 1962 and Gideon Friedman took part in it.

 Wood working drew Gideon, and having moved to Arad, he made sculptures from wood and stone in his spare time work. There is a wooden sculpture created by Gideon at Arad entrance till now that has become the city symbol already.

From the beginning of 1990th Gideon has started to work with glass and has created the unique technique in which all its products are executed. Gideon told us that he worked for six years to create his own technique. This technique consists in the fact that in order to work with glass a special oven is required (the master constructed it by himself), special supplements are needed and there are a number of other features. 

As a result glass compositions of Gideon Friedman get special depth, three dimensionality and bewitch by "mobility”.  There is such feature at Friedman’s works: if you look at the sculpture from one point and then move in the opposite direction with eyes riveted on the sculpture, there is a visual effect that the sculpture turns together with the spectator. This effect occurs because the glass is molded in such a way that somewhere it is hollow, somewhere is shaded by paints, the external side of the glass is always smooth, but inside it is always relief, is uneven.

 For his works the artist uses the reworked window and bottle glass. We spoke to Gideon about why he has no disciples, why he does not distribute his technique, teaching it to other artists. He said that he can send the technology, but can not convey the artistic vision, and without any vision technology is just technology, but not art.

 Many believe that the glass is cold and monotonous, but in fact, according to Gideon Friedman, it is moving and alive.

 Undoubtedly, Gideon Friedman’s special art vision charms and we have been shaken by his works which are exposed in Arad Glass Museum. By the way, the Glass Museum (it is based in 2003) is a Gideon brainchild too.

 Some time, when Gideon just started glass experimenting, he created his works for himself, without showing to anyone. But today, Gideon Friedman is not only the Glass Museum organizer, but he participates in many exhibitions in Israel, as well as in Germany and Canada.