Born in Gat Rimon in 1951, Vaadia grew up in a rural community where his parents, Nissim Vaadia and Rivka Horozlaski, farmed strawberries. In 1968, he enrolled at the Avni Institute of Fine Arts in Tel Aviv but was drafted into the Israeli Army just a year later. After completing his service, he returned to school and began teaching there after graduating. In 1975, with a grant from America-Israel Cultural Foundation, he relocated to New York, where he studied at the Pratt Institute. The artist said he thought the move was “the worst mistake of my life,” but “within one week I actually recognized that the urban environment of New York is as natural as my village.”

Vaadia began collecting materials such as slate, shingles, bluestone, and boulders after he discovered an ongoing construction project near his studio in SoHo. As workers ripped up the bluestone sidewalk, Vaadia carried the discarded material to his loft, where he worked with a hammer and chisel to further expose the sedimentary layers of the rocks. Inspired by the stratified layers, he began creating sculptures that echoed the natural composition of his materials.

As his artistic output grew, he relocated to a studio in Williamsburg and started collecting boulders, but he was eventually forced to order materials. Primarily named after biblical figures, his public works can be found outdoors in parks and in front of businesses, as well as in the collections of institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, SF MoMA, the Bass Museum of Art, and the Tel Aviv Museum.

 
 
(1951-2017)
  
 
EDUCATION

Brooklyn Museum Art School, Brooklyn, NY, 1976-1977
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, 1975-1976
Avni Institute of Fine Arts, Tel-Aviv, Israel, 1967-1971
 

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2010        
Eckert Fine Art, Kent, CT

2008                 
Connaught Brown, London, England

2006                 
Connaught Brown, London, England
 
Galerie Terminus, Munich, Germany
 
Eckert Fine Art, Naples, FL

2005                 
Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA
 
Courcoux & Courcoux Gallery, Hampshire, England

2004                 
Miriam Shiell Fine Art, Toronto, Canada

2003                 
Kraft Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL
 
Imago Gallery, Palm Desert, CA

2002                 
Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL

2001                 
Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA

2000                 
Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
                                
1997
Jaffe Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
 
Imago Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
 
Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA

1996                 
Buschlen-Mowatt Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
 
Jaffe Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL

1995                 
Allene Lapides Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

1994                 
O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, NY

1993                 
Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA
 
Helander Gallery, Palm Beach, FL

1992                 
O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, NY

1991                 
Helander Gallery, Palm Beach, FL

1990                 
O.K. Harris Works of Art, Birmingham, MI
 
Hoken Kaufmanns Gallery, Chicago, IL

1989                 
O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, NY
 
Hoken Kaufman Gallery, Chicago, IL

1988-89  
Sculpture Court Installation, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY

1988                 
O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, NY
 
Helander Gallery, Palm Beach, FL

1987                 
Philadelphia Museum of Judaica, Philadelphia, PA

1986                 
O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, NY

1985                 
Broadway Windows, New York University, New York, NY

1984                 
Julie M. Gallery, Tel-Aviv, Israel
 
Sculpture Center, New York, NY

1982                 
Farthing Gallery of Art, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
 
Elise Meyer Gallery, New York, NY

1980                 
Julie M. Gallery, New York, NY

1979                 
Elise Meyer Gallery, New York, NY

1978                 
Sculpture Court, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY

1976                 
Hundred Acres Gallery, New York, NY

1972                 
Yad-Labanim Museum, Petah-Tiqva, Israel 
  
  
 
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2010                 
"Fine Art Asia - Hong Kong International Art & Antiques Fair", Caldwell Snyder, Wanchai, Hong Kong
 
"Art Singapore", Caldwell Snyder, Singapore, China
 
“London Art Fair”, Connaught Brown, London, UK
 
“Onward“, Beshart Gallery, Atlanta, GA

2009                 
“London Art Fair”, Connaught Brown, London, UK
 
“The Art Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary Art Fair”, Eckert Fine Art and Connaught Brown, Palm Beach, FL
 
“Los Angeles Art Show”, Caldwell Snyder Gallery and Eckert Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA

2008                 
“Art I Love”, Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA
 
“Los Angeles Art Show”, Eckert Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
 
“The Art Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary Art Fair”, Eckert Fine Art

2007                 
“Our Artists”, Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA
 
“Art Show”, Leanne Hull Fine Art, La Jolla, CA
 
“Cornice International Art Fair”, Galerie Terminus, Venice, Italy
 
“International Art Fair”, Connaught Brown, Park Avenue Armory, NY
 
“Art Cologne”, Galerie Terminus, Cologne, Germany
 
“Los Angeles Art show”, Eckert Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
 
“ARTSEASONS”, Galerie Terminus, Cape Town, South Africa

2006                 
“The Art Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary Art Fair”, Eckert Fine Art and Galerie Terminus, Palm Beach, FL
 
“Sculpture from Calder to Bolla”, Nohra Haime Gallery, New York, NY
 
“ARTSEASONS”, Galerie Terminus, Mallorca, Spain

2005                 
“Looking at 2005-2006”, Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
 
“Chicago Contemporary & Classic”, Kraft Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL
 
“ART London”, Belloc Lowndes Fine Art, London, England
 
Kraft Lieberman Gallery, Chicago IL
 
“Palm Beach 3”, Eckert Fine Art, Palm Beach, FL

2004                 
Imago Gallery, Palm Desert, CA

Scott White Contemporary Art, Telluride, CO
 
Vered Gallery, East Hampton, NY
 
“ART Chicago”, Belloc Lowndes Fine Art, Chicago, IL
 
“SOFA”, Kraft Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL
 
“Toy Show”, Kraft Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL
 
“Los Angeles Art Show”, Eckert Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA

2003                 
“Art of the 20 century”, Lillian Heidenberg, New York, NY
 
“Brooklyn on 57th Street", Nohra Haime Gallery, New York, NY
 
“The Armory Show”, Fay Gold Gallery, New York, NY
 
“ART London”, Belloc Lowndes Fine Art, London, England
 
“ART Miami”, Kraft Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL
 
“Art Forms”, Kraft Lieberman Gallery, West Palm Beach, FL
 
“SOFA”, Kraft Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2002                 
“Art of the 20 century”, Lillian Heidenberg, New York, NY
 
Imago Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
 
“From Stone to Foam”, Nohra Haime Gallery, New York, NY

2001                 
Vered Gallery, East Hampton, NY
 
Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL

2000                 
Buschlen-Mowatt Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
 
Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
 
Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA

1999                 
Imago Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
 
Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA
 
“Art Miami ‘99”, Elaine Baker Gallery, Miami, FL
 
“Art Palm Beach”, Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, Palm Beach, FL

1998                 
“Milestones Israeli Sculptures 1948-1998”, The Open Museum, Tefen, Israel
 
“Art Miami ’98”, Elaine Baker Gallery, Miami, FL
 
“Art International New York”, Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, New York, NY

1997                 
“Taipei Art Fair”, Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
 
“The International Fine Art and Antiques Fair for America”, Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, Washington, D.C.

1996-97  
Philharmonic Center for the Arts, Naples, FL

1996                 
Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
 
Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA
 
Vered Gallery, East Hampton, NY

1995        
“20th Century Sculpture”, The White House, First Lady’s Sculpture Garden, Washington,D.C.
 
“Southern Region”, Imago Gallery, Palm Desert, CA

1994                 
Hakone Open Air Museum, Japan
 
Open Museum, Tefen, Israel

1993                 
F.I.A C., Paris, France
 
Lillian Heidenberg Gallery, New York, NY
 
Helander Gallery, Palm Beach, FA

1992                 
Fay Gold Gallery Atlanta, GA
 
“4th Rodin Grand Prize Exhibition”, Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum, Japan

1991                 
“Centerpieces”, Norton Center, Center College, Danville, KY
 
“Art at Gateway Center, Second Annual Sculpture Exhibition”, Prudential Insurance Company of America, Newark, NJ

1990                 
“Figurative Abstraction”, Helander Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
 
“A Bite of the Big Apple!”, Hofstra Museum Outdoor Sculpture Installation, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
 
“The 79th Annual Exhibition”, Maier Museum of Art, Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Lynchburg, VA
 
“Soft and Hard”, Margulies Taplin Gallery, Bay Harbor Islands, FL
 
“Pygmalion”, Phyllis Rothman Gallery, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison NJ

1989                 
“Best of Season”, Helander Gallery, Palm Beach, FL

1986-87  
“Origins”, Bronx River Gallery, Bronx, NY
 
“Other Gods: Containers of Belief”, Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY
 
Fondo Del Sol, Washington, DC
 
Wallace/Wentworth Gallery, Washington, DC
 
The Los Angeles Municipal Gallery with The Craft and Folk Museum, Los Angeles, CA
 
The Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA

1986                 
“Unaffliated IV”, Hillwood Art Gallery, Long Island University, NY
 
“Contemporary Primitivism”, Gallery of Contemporary Art, Colorado Springs, CO
 
“Outdoor Exhibition”, CW Post Center for Public Art, Long Island University, Greenvale, NY

1985-86  
“Contemporary Pedestal Sculpture”, (Toured to: The Moody Gallery of Art, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Al; University Galleries, University of South Florida, Tampa FL; Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, AL

1985                 
“Spiritual Climates”, Thorpe Intermedia Gallery, Sparkill, NY
 
Hebrew Union College Gallery, New York, NY
 
“Sculptors Turn to Stone”, Brooklyn Art Palace, NY

1984                 
Sculpture Center, New York, NY
 
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
 
Germans Van Eck Gallery, New York, NY

1983                 
A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY
 
Equitable Gallery, New York, NY
 
“Sculpture ‘83”, Beaver College, Glenside, PA
 
The Jewish Museum, New York, NY
 
1982-84  A.R.E.A. Ward’s Island, Manhattan Psychiatric Center, NY

1982-83  
“Sacred Artifacts, Objects of Devotion”, Alternative Museum, New York, NY

1982                 
“The Monument Redefned”, Gowanus Annual I, New York, NY

1981                 
Vrije University of Brussels, Belgium
 
O.I.A. Ward’s Island, Manhattan, Psychiatric Center, New York, NY

1980                 
Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilei, Israel
 
Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ
 
“A.I.R. ‘81” Rockland Center for the Arts, Rockland, NY
 
“Discovery, Rediscovery”, Sculpture Center Gallery, New York, NY
 
80 Washington Square East Galleries, New York University, New York, NY
 
“Totems, Fetishes & Devotional Objects”, Alternative Museum, New York, NY
 
Osuna Gallery, Washington, DC

1979-1980                 
“Outside the City Limits”, circulated by the Gallery Association of New York, (toured to: State University of New York at Oswego; Niagara Community College; Roberson Center; Rochester Business Committee; Alfred University)

1979                 
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
 
“Outgrowth”, Battery Park, New York, NY
 
International Exhibition, U. N. General Assembly Building, New York, NY
 
Bonnie Benedeck Sculpture Garden, East Hampton, NY

1977-78  
“Outside the City Limits”, Thorpe Intermedia Gallery, Sparkill, NY

1977                 
Artists-in-Residence, Bear Mountain Inn, NY
 
Harkness House Gallery, New York, NY

1975                 
Youdfat Gallery, Tel-Aviv, Israel

1974                 
Yad-Labanim Museum, Petah-Tiqva, Israel

1973                 
City Museum, Ramat-Gan, Israel
 
 

SELECTED COLLECTIONS 
 
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Museum, Japan
Hakone Open Air Museum, Japan
Norton Gallery of Art, W. Palm Beach, FL
Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, FL
Tel-Aviv Museum, Israel
Jewish Museum, New York, NY
The Israel Museum, Israel
Open Museum at Tefen, Israel
Vero Beach Museum of Art, Vero Beach, FL
Cliff Lede Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA
Paine Webber Inc., Puerto Rico
Elton John, Atlanta, GA
Best Products Inc., VA
Cargill Inc., MN
La Salle Partners, Rosslyn, VA
The Related Companies, Carnegie Park Building, N Y
Lufthansa Airlines, NY
Susan & Dixon Butler
Richard Brown Baker, NY
Ashley & Harriet Hoffman, New York, Palm Beach
Grace Hokin, FL
Mr. & Mrs. Johnson, WI
Cargill Macmillan, Palm Springs, CA
Herb Goldsmith, FL
Leanne Hull, Canada
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Kahn, NY
The Manney Collection, NY
Martin Z. Margulies, FL
Eric P. Meyer, Switzerland
Edward J. Minskoff, NY
Dr. & Mrs. Sackler, CT
Barry Sacks, Bel Air, CA (Chorus Line, Inc.)
Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Tuttleman, PA
Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Zimmerman, TN
Mr. & Mrs. Redstone, CA
Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Racine, WI
 
 

GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS/AWARDS
 
1992                 
Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum Award, Japan

1988                 
National Endowment for the Arts, Grant

1986                 
Ariana Foundation For the Arts, NY, Grant

1985                 
Committee for the Visual Arts, Artists Space, New York, NY, Grant

1977                 
America the Beautiful Fund, Palisades Interstate Park, NY, Grant and Residency

1977-76  
Brooklyn Museum Art School, Beeckman Scholarship

1976-75  
America Israel Cultural Foundation, Grant