Marik Lechner's 'Niger River' Exhibition at Rosenfeld Gallery in Tel Aviv's Florentin District

Marik Lechner presented his exhibition 'Niger River' at Rosenfeld Gallery in Tel Aviv-Jaffa from October 10 to November 16, 2013. The gallery is located at 1 Shvil HaMif'al Street in the Florentin area, an industrial zone undergoing transformation into an arts neighborhood. Lechner's large-scale paintings feature thick, oil-based applications that fill the space with their scent. His work combines magical realism with expressionistic techniques, depicting scenes populated by human figures, animals, fish, birds, trees, and buildings. These elements create a sense of movement and lushness, with compositions that suggest underwater environments or fantastical landscapes. The paintings show feminine, youthful figures with animal-like characteristics, often in ambiguous settings where flowers, goldfish, and plants coexist. Some works convey lyrical lightness despite heavy paint application, while others incorporate violent undertones through imagery resembling blood spatters. A series of smaller canvases blends playfulness with darker themes, featuring monkey figures with skull-like heads and humanoid animals. The exhibition's title originated from Lechner's interactions with a Nigerian worker who helped construct his studio in the area, whose descriptions of the Niger River inspired the paintings. Rosenfeld Gallery has become a significant attraction in this evolving district, which attracts both foreign workers and affluent visitors from North Tel Aviv.