Tsion Avital

Tsion Avital was born in 1940

Tsion Avital was born in 1940 to Avraham and Preciada Dorit Avitbol Avital. He grew up in Sefrou, Morocco, and moved to Israel with his family in January 1951.

He served in the paratroopers and in the Air Force. At the Hebrew University of Jerusalem he studied philosophy and psychology, then earned an MA in philosophy with a focus on aesthetics. During his doctorate he spent 1971 to 1972 at the University of Toronto, and he received his PhD in 1974.

He became a lecturer at the Hebrew University in 1973 and left in 1976. For 5 years he managed a rubber and plastics plant in Holon. In 1982 he began teaching at the Faculty of Design at the Holon Institute of Technology, where he became a full professor in 2003.

His Artonomy theory holds that non-figurative art lacks systemic structure and calls for a new systemic art. He initiated exhibitions of this art and later developed his mindprints theory, which links the origins of art to reading footprints. He retired as emeritus professor in 2011, is divorced, and has 3 children.