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Nov. 30, 2007
Discovering his ancient roots
A young artist is excited about his paintings and being Jewish.
ARASH BEN SHAUL
When, in 2005, Paul Curran walked into the gallery, on the eve of his first art exhibit, he noticed something very crucial missing – the paintings! It turned out that his artworks had already been sold, packaged and delivered to their new owners.
"My agent was so excited with the pricey offers coming in, he totally forgot to hold onto them for the show," said Curran jovially. "He sold every single one, it was a disaster!"
Many 19-year-old aspiring artists would give an arm for such a "disaster," but Curran cares more about inspiring than about selling.
"I think it's important to follow your heart and your dreams, both in life and in art," he said. "That's what I try to inspire people to do with my paintings"
In October, only two years after his first show, Curran held the 18th exhibit of his artwork, at Yaletown Brewing Co. No paintings were missing this time, and plenty of people were inspired.
Curran began drawing when he was barely five years old. "We didn't have a television at home because my father thought it was a bad idea," he recalled. To pass time, he started drawing and quickly fell in love with it.
His painting style evolved from elegant jazz portraits to commanding black and white cityscapes, but one thing never changed – his passion to infuse every painting with a deep meaning. "Every painting of mine has a story," he declared. He pointed to a painting titled "The Great Florence Cathedral," an intricate portrayal of the historic synagogue of Florence. "During World War II, the Nazis used this synagogue as a weapon storage depot," he said, recounting the bittersweet history of the synagogue and of its eventual reconstruction after the war. "But everything turns out well," he concluded with a wry smile, "and I hope to visit it someday."
Curran's most recent paintings mainly deal with Jewish themes and subjects. He confesses that he drew inspiration for most of his latest works from his eventful journey to becoming Jewish. His family have been devout Catholics for more than 600 years.
"My family reminded me of that several times when I said I was interested in becoming Jewish," Curran said. "And I said, yes, but my soul has been Jewish for much longer."
Curran's interest in Judaism began when he started learning about other cultures and religions in his late teens. "What impressed me most about Judaism was the rich history of scholarship and learning," Curran said. "But most importantly, being Jewish is being part of a great story that began with Abraham. It gives your life so much purpose."
After two years of intensively studying Hebrew and Judaism, Curran is on his way to officially joining the Jewish faith – and his family has lovingly embraced his decision.
A fourth-year student of psychology and arts history at the University of British Columbia, Curran vigorously participates in Jewish life on campus. He recently became a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi, a Jewish fraternity responsible for many philanthropic activities in the community. He is also a prominent member of the Israel Awareness Club – a club at UBC dedicated to broadening understanding and appreciation of Israeli society.
Earlier this year, Curran painted a portrait of Yitzhak Rabin, the late Israeli prime minister who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his peace initiatives with the Palestinians. The portrait was displayed during Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Day, an annual event that the Israel Awareness Club holds to support peace in the Middle East.
Curran greatly treasures being a member of the Jewish community. "Except for being embarrassed in front of my dates for ordering a limp salad each time I go out," he joked, "everything else has been great."
Curran's paintings can be seen at www.paulcurranart.com.
Arash Ben Shaul is a Vancouver freelance writer.
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