STORIES FROM PAFA

Yoni Hamburger

After studying film and mathematics in Tel Aviv and then a stint living in New York City, Yoni Hamburger (MFA ’13) found his way to PAFA because of an intense love of painting.

His early visits to Philadelphia and to PAFA revealed a laid-back vibe and an environment full of inspiration.

Yoni paints portraits that reflect an idiosyncratic truth about his subjects. He begins with people he has a personal connection with and tries to capture their essence through distortion, abstraction and exaggeration.

“Every person has a frequency that is unique only to them. I try to tune in to that in my portraiture.”

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Kristin Geiger-Rayca, Digital Communications and Website Manager

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About PAFA

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the United States’ first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America's diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.