Sam Philipe

Sam Philipe is an Israeli sculptor.[1] He is known for his sculptures of biblical and New Testament figures.[2]

Sam Philipe
Born
Jerusalem, Israel
Known forBiblical sculpture, jewelry

Biography

Shlomo (Sam) Philipe was born in Jerusalem to an old Jerusalem family. After serving in the Israel Defense Forces as a combat medic,[3] he spent a year in New York City restoring antique furniture and studying art.[4] When he returned to Israel, he earned a living sculpting animals in chocolate.[5]

Artistic career
Ark of the Covenant sculpture

Sam Philipe opened a studio in Jerusalem in 1989. In addition to sculpture, he began to design jewelry and Jewish ceremonial art.[6]

Philipe's sculptures have been presented to government leaders around the world as gifts from the Israeli government.[7] Philipe's statue "Jesus' blessing" was presented to Pope John Paul II on behalf of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. King Hussein of Jordan received a sculpture embodying Isaiah's prophecy of the lion and the lamb; George H.W. Bush, an elephant with the Star of David; and Princess Diana, a guardian angel. Yitzhak Rabin was presented with a sculpture depicting a paratrooper praying at the Western Wall.[8]

Outdoor sculptures by Philipe have been installed at various locations in Jerusalem, among them Ammunition Hill[9] and Yad Labanim Soldiers House near Sacher Park.[10] Many of his smaller sculptures, crafted from sterling silver and 24 karat gold, are mounted on polished stone bases using stones from the desert.[11] Philipe often uses blocks of Jerusalem stone or black basalt from the Galilee as pedestals for his work.[12]

"I Love You," Shalva campus, Jerusalem

In February 2011, his bronze sculpture "Binding of Isaac" was displayed at Mamilla Mall as part of its "Stories of the Bible" exhibit.[13]

"Mother and child," a sculpture by Philipe, is displayed at the Revi Karuna Memorial Museum in Alleppey, India.[14] His seven-foot bronze statue of the Prodigal son was installed in the museum courtyard in March 2012.[15]

"Reut" (Camaraderie in Arms) is a 10-foot bronze on Mount Scopus, overlooking the Judean Desert, depicting a combat medic embracing a wounded soldier. His inspiration for the work was an Israeli army doctor, Uri Freund, who was awarded the IDF medal of distinguished service for going out under heavy crossfire to rescue his wounded commander.[16]

To mark the 70th anniversary of the voyage of the SS Exodus, Philipe designed a memorial sculpture featuring a bronze relief of the Land of Israel. The monument was unveiled at Haifa Port in July 2017.[17]

Philipe's goal is to "reach God through art." He creates sculptures based on Bible themes in the belief that his work transports viewers back to ancient times and allows them to feel a connection to the Bible in their own life.[18]

Recent Projects

SS Exodus Memorial, Haifa, Israel 2017.

Sam Philipe working on the Exodus Memorial in the foundry.

The Exodus, nicknamed the "Ship that Launched a Nation" by famed writer Ruth Gruber, was an American Aliyah Bet ship that attempted to bring in 5,400 desperate Holocaust survivors. The Exodus' story fundamentally affected the United Nations vote on the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine dividing Mandatory Palestine into two States, one Jewish, and one Arab. The Memorial was funded by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. The artistic design concept, a relief map of Israel with a model of the Exodus anchor, artistically interpreted her historical role, reflecting upon the Gruber moniker, "The Ship that Launched a Nation." [19] [20][21][22][23][24]

S.S. Exodus Memorial, Port of Haifa


Machal Memorial - Ammunition Hill, Jerusalem 2018

The Memorial is the artistic interpretive creation of Sam Philipe, noted Jerusalem born sculptor. It interprets the role of the desperately needed 5,000 foreign volunteers who came to help defend the new state of Israel in the 1948 War of Independence. The interpretation, the Rock upon whom the State of Israel was born, is adorned with sculpted models representing the three military services that the volunteers served in, Navy, Air Force and Army. The Memorial was principally funded by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation with support from the American Veterans of Israel Legacy Corporation, Mahal (Israel)).[25][26]

The Machal Memorial, opposite Ammunition Hill, Jerusalem.


Anne Frank Children's Human Rights Memorial, Ma'aleh Adumim, Israel

Philipe's Anne Frank Children's Human Rights Memorial combines interpretive art and realistic, life size representations of Anne Frank sitting at her desk in the Secret Annex. The interpretive arched roof and the naked hanging light bulb above Anne Frank as she works at her simple desk leaves nothing to imagination of the young girls isolation hiding from the Nazis in the streets below. The informational plate at the front base of the sculpture notes, "Children are the ultimate victims of adult hatred, bigotry and ignorance." The sculpture, sponsored by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, was funded by Judy and Jerry Klinger. [27]

Anne Frank Children's Human Rights Memorial, Ma'ale Adumim, Israel

Golan Heights Eagle - Menorah, Trump Heights, Israel

The large, realistic bronze eagle and Menorah sculpture is modeled upon the indigenous Golan Eagle and the depiction of the Menorah found in the 5th Century Golan Heights synagogue, Ein Keshatot. The sculpture is sited on a basalt plaza adjacent to the Trump Heights Community sign funded by an anonymous Christian friend of Israel. Sam has an exemplary ability of bringing together and working with diverse communities of faith to achieve common goals.

Trump Heights, Golan Eagle - Menorah Plaza

Trump Heights and the Golan Eagle - Menorah sculpture were dedicated specifically in appreciation to President Donald J. Trump. The Golan Eagle - Menorah was funded by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.[28]

Golan Eagle -Menorah, Trump Heights, Israel


Temple Lions, Beit Shean, Israel[29]

The Lions were inspired by a basaltic relief discovered in archeological excavations in Beit Shean and attributed to a local Temple from the 14th BCE.

The Temple Lions were donated by the Curt Landry Ministries to the City of Beit Shean. 2019

Temple Lions, Beit Shean Roundabout
14th BCE relief of Lions playing - Israel Museum

[30]



Shmuel Cohen, Rishon LeZion

Restoration and interpretation enhancement of the resting place of Shmuel Cohen and his wife. Shmuel Cohen was the musical composer of the Hatikvah, the National Anthem of Israel. The project is funded by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.

See also

References
  1. Pave the Way Foundation Provides Help to Muslim, Christian and Jewish Mothers in Jerusalem
  2. Straight from Jerusalem
  3. "One-man tribute to the Israeli soldiers," Dov Yareh, In and About Jerusalem, Cohi productions, Jerusalem, 2011
  4. A rare early Sam Philipe
  5. "From chocolate animal carvings to gold and silver biblical sculpture," Witchita Chronicle, September 1999
  6. ETD Exclusive Travel Design: Sam Philipe
  7. "From chocolate animal carvings to gold and silver biblical sculpture," Witchita Chronicle, September 1999
  8. "Fund honored to host world-renowned Israeli Artist, United Methodist Church Connection, November 7, 2000
  9. Ammunition Hill site
  10. The Lion of Judah has joined the IDF
  11. Sculpture based on Scriptures
  12. "Sam Philipe: Reaching God through art," In and About Jerusalem, Cohi productions, Jerusalem, 2011
  13. Stories of the Bible in the heart of Jerusalem, [Hebrew], catalog by Tzipi Vital, curator
  14. Memorial of Love, RKK Memorial Museum, Alexis Leon, 2010
  15. Prodigal Son gift for Alappuzha museum
  16. "One-man tribute to the Israeli soldiers," Dov Yareh, In and About Jerusalem, Cohi productions, Jerusalem, 2011
  17. ICEJ joins ceremonies on 70th anniversary of refugee ship saga, Word from Jerusalem, 2017 p.11
  18. Sam Philipe: Reaching God Through Art, In and About Jerusalem, Cohi Productions, Jerusalem, 2017, p.61
  19. [First Israeli Monument to the Exodus]
  20. [Doing the Right Thing]
  21. [YouTube dedication ceremony]
  22. [70th Anniversary of the S.S. Exodus]
  23. [S.S. Exodus]
  24. [Remembering the Exodus][Remembering the Exodus]
  25. [Dedication of a Machal Memorial at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem]
  26. [Machal Fighters Get Memorial in Jerusalem, Seven Decades After Volunteering for Israel]
  27. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-anne-frank-childrens-human-rights-memorial/[Anne Frank Children's Human Rights Memorial]
  28. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/thank-you-president-trump-ani-modeh-lecha/[Ani Modeh Lecha, Thank you President Trump]
  29. https://www.facebook.com/709216422557802/posts/2194475357365227/
  30. https://www.facebook.com/709216422557802/posts/2194475357365227/
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