Dr. Efrat Friedenzon Harrison

Efrat Friedenzon, design researcher, industrial designer, interdisciplinary artist and curator. She received her doctorate in the Department of Jewish Art at Bar-Ilan University. Her research focused on representations of amulets in contemporary design in Israel, and examined the influence of the designer on the meaning of the amulet, and his role as a social agent.
Efrat researches design processes, visual language, material language and contemporary culture. After years of teaching industrial design, she examined the stages of developing the idea from a source of inspiration to visual sketches, and seeing the difficulty of the students in front of the "white page", she developed a method for using sources of inspiration for industrial designers and engineers. The research focused on creative thinking patterns, analysis and synthesis of visual and conceptual images for a visual sketch. The research in this field contributes to students in developing ideas and implementing them visually, and is also suitable for developing design in the field of biomimicry.
Currently engaged in researching and documenting traditional and contemporary crafts and examining different identities in Israeli society as reflected in the craft. What is the role and position of the craft in design and art as an aesthetic action or as a social action.
In addition to the academic research, Efrat curates exhibitions independently and in 2019-2022 served as the curator of the Liber Gallery for exhibitions at Bar-Ilan University.
In her artistic work, she deals with intergenerational relationships, limiting patterns and beliefs, women's rights and animal rights. Creates sculpture, painting and machining technologies. Presented in solo and group exhibitions in Israel and around the world.