An Israeli Sculptor and Painter, whose paintings and sculptures, made of bronze, wood and iron are found in Israel and around the world.
Dan's work style moves between figurative and abstract. The narrative runs through Rapaport's sculptures in every meaningful part of his life, in the description and interpretation of reality derived from his surroundings, through his own personal philosophy. For example, "The Diver" which is situated in London, or the "Power of the Rainbow" placed on the Green line.
Rapaport was born in Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan in 1944. As a child he was interested in wood carving and imitated his grandfather who built violins and carved wood. In his youth, Dan studied Metal Work at the college of the Technion in Haifa. He studied with Professor Yosef Schwartzman, sketching and anatomy. In 1971 he built the workshop for sculpture in Jaffa-by the sea, where he prepared his first exhibitions. He left for Paris to study for his first degree in sculpture, but because of the outbreak of the Yom Kippur war he came back to Israel. His service and experiences from the war were an inspiration for his exhibition of bronze sculptures that was shown in Europe-Denmark, Belgium and Germany, and was awarded special recognition in Denmark.
Dan was very active between the years 1988-1990 when he created his big sculptures. The highlight was the sculpture "The Last Supper" and "The Power of the Rainbow". In the last fifteen years Rapaport has been painting in an expressive style rich in color and images, along with his sculpting.
In 1990 Dan left for London to study for his Master's degree in Wimbledon school of art, where he created the sculpture "The Diver" and "The Taste of Garlic", and during the that period created "The Forest"-A group of monumental sculptures from iron that were placed under water in Eilat.
In 1994 Dan presented his sculpture "The Glutton" at the Biennale "Tents 94" at Tel-Hai, Curator Gideon Efrat, and planned an exhibition the Herzliya Museum with the series "Plastic Dunam" for the kibbutz going through changes.
Since the year 2000 he has presented 10 solo exhibitions, among them at the "Warriors Home" in Afeka and an exhibition at the "Tabenkin House" in Efal, on the subject of the social protest and "Back to Work".
In 2010 Dan started the preparations for 10 sculptures for the "Sculpture Lane" at the "Billuim" school-Ramat Gan. He made the sculpture "Homesick" in Ramat Yochanan and "Capeynu" in the Regional Council of Zevulun.
Since 2015, Dan established, along with colleagues, the "Greek Market" fair. Every Friday artists from different fields of the plastic arts would receive a stand to present their works. Dan displayed his works outside his studio, where the sale of the art would take place. Inside the studio there were art workshops and lectures for groups of tourist and art enthusiasts.
Dan has an expansive professional training, with a long history of interviews and articles in newspapers. Currently, he works on a sculpture and painting program, revolving around themes from the Greek mythology and the magnificent nature he frequently visits. Dan continues his work on the underwater sculptures, with special methods he developed alongside researchers from Eilat and from Tel Aviv University, and he hopes to keep teaching and spreading to the young people the method that is based on iron and air.
EXHIBITIONS
Selected one man exhibitions
1972- 25 statues in private house. Tel Aviv.
1974- 25 bronze sculptures and one wooden sculpture on theme of Yom Kippur. Zavta Theater Gallery, Tel Aviv.
1975 -20 bronze and wood sculptures. Artist's Union Gallery, Tel Aviv.
1975-40 sculptures, various mediums. Several bought by local authority. Ballarup Town Hall Gallery, Copenhagen.
1975- 50 bronze and wood sculptures. Turel Gallery, Tel Aviv.
1976- 30 bronze, wood and aluminum sculptures. Exhibition opened by Denmark minister of culture. Aarhus Art Gallery, Denmark.
1977- 30 sculptures for Israel Week. North Denmark.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1971- Tel Aviv prize in Young sculptor Competition: "Mother and Child", wood. Tel Aviv.
1974- Artist of the year exhibition: 5 bronze statues. Artists' Union Gallery, Tel Aviv.
1977- Art Exhibition: 20 sculptures. Alice Gallery, Copenhagen.
1985- Holocaust Competition Exhibition: bronze statue, 60 cm high (1:10). Yad Vashem Center, Jerusalem.
1987-Jaffa Artists Exhibition: steel statue, 4 m, "The Fish". Jaffa Dockland Site.
1988- Hadera Group Artists' Annual Exhibition: "Media" mobile sculpture
(4.5X 3m). Nature Park, Hadera, Israel.
1989- Jaffa Artist Exhibition: steel statue, 4m, "Stone Bird". The New Garden, Old Jaffa (temporary).
1990- Permanent sculpture exhibition: steel statue, "Last Supper". Negev Desert Site, Israel.
1990- Permanent sculpture exhibition: "Stone Bird". Open Space Sculpture Garden, army camp near Tel Aviv.
ADDITIONAL EXHIBITIONS
1992- Group exhibition, Wimbledon School of Art: 1.5 m bronze statue, "The Diver". Cannizaro Park, Wimbledon, London.
1993- Solo exhibition, "Forest", Monumental under water statues. Eilat.
1994- "The Glutton". "Tents 94" Art Biennale Tel Hai.
1995- "The Last Supper". Group exhibition, Mitzpe Ramon.
1999- Wooden Statues solo exhibition, at a temporary studio built by the artist. The "Neurim" Institute.
2010- Solo exhibition, sponsored by Ramat Gan City Museum. The "Billuim" school.
2014- Solo exhibition, "Forged Iron". The Lighthouse Gallery, Jaffa.
2015-2020 - exhibition portrayed every Friday at the Greek market in Jaffa.
