Avi Kiriaty - Biography

Avi Kiriaty is known as one of the most prolific "Painters of Polynesia" in our modern time, both throughout the Pacific and internationally. Avi is following a tradition of artists inspired by the bold and natural beauty of the Pacific islands, a beauty that is reflected in the physical features of the native peoples and their cultures - the mystery and majesty of both having seduced many artists throughout history. He does so, however, with a unique style and passion. Jay Hartwell's article in the Hawaiian magazine, The Surfers Journal, states that, "Those who know Gauguin, Charlot, and other émigré artists consumed by Polynesia will see the same passionate primitivism and bold pinks, greens, and blues in Avi's work, but there is a freshness to his images that moves past romantic obsession with another culture."

As a young boy growing up in Israel, Avi began his 'romance' with Polynesia through images in Gauguin's books and the highly fantastical tales by Pierre Loti. Once his fascination began, Avi "was always dreaming about blue lagoons filled with fish, coconut trees, and sailors in boats trading in the islands." His family's artistic nature encouraged Avi to begin to develop his own talents; he spent much of his time in nature, observing and interacting with his environment, and is still a man who studies everything around him with an artist's keen awareness and fascination. His love of nature and people made him a curious child who absorbed any information available to him about the subjects of his interest.

Avi Kiriaty has been living in the Hawaiian Islands since 1979. He has lived on many of the islands, learning to live a Kama'aina lifestyle: learning about the native plants and animals, the oceans and ancient fishing techniques, the language, the culture and history of the pacific people he'd dreamed of living amongst when he was a young boy. After fourteen years in Hawaii, he made his first journey into the South Pacific. Since then, he has taken every opportunity available to travel throughout other South Pacific islands, learning about the Polynesian people, the Tahitian and Marquesan languages, and along the way documenting the culture and history of the Pacific islands and people that inspire his art. Nearly a decade after his first trip to the Marquesas, Avi made a second journey to Taiohae village on Nuku Hiva island where he painted the first mural in the islands on a restored chapel wall. Parts of this journey were filmed and made into a short documentary, Kiriaty: Painter of Polynesia, and his finished work was written up in the "la Depeche de Tahiti" Newspaper. Avi's work has become internationally known and collected worldwide. He currently lives in Maui with his wife and two children who help to run his business.