Yigal Zalmona (Hebrew:יגאל צלמונה) is an Israeli curator,art critic and historian.[1] He was the chiefinterdisciplinary curator of theIsrael Museum inJerusalem.[2]
Yigal Zalmona was born inTel Aviv. He grew up in the city'sNeve Shaanan neighborhood. His father was a dentist. At the age of 20, Zalmona enrolled in art studies at theSorbonne in Paris, completing abachelor's degree and a master's degree. He wrote his master's thesis onJean Dubuffet, a French painter and sculptor who pioneered the theory of "low art" and what is now calledoutsider art. Zalmona was offered a job as ateaching assistant at the Sorbonne, but chose to return to Israel.[2]
Zalmona wrote hisdoctorate on theEastern influences on Israeli art in the early 20th century.[3]
In 1996, he was promoted from Curator of Israeli Art at the Israel Museum to Senior Curator and deputy director of the museum, until his retirement from the museum in 2012.[4]
He teaches at the art department of theShenkar College of Engineering and Design inRamat Gan.[2]
