PINCAS, ISRAEL

PINCAS, ISRAEL (Anton ; 1935– ), Hebrew poet. Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, Pincas moved to his grandparents following the death of his father. After his arrival in Palestine in 1944, he joined the Ben Shemen youth village and later served as an army reporter. He worked for a while as an editor for United Press and translator from various languages into Hebrew, and for many years ran two art galleries in Tel Aviv, acting also as adviser on contemporary art. His first collection of poems, Arba'a-asar Shirim, was published in 1961, followed by further collections, including El kav ha-Masheveh (1975), Betokh ha-Bayit (1978), Geneologiyyah (1997), and Ba-Yam ha-Atik Shelanu (1999). A member of the so-called "Dor ha-Medinah" ("The Generation of the State"), Pincas followed an individualistic path, keeping away from the literary mainstream. While his early poetry focuses on Mediterranean culture, his later works pursue a dialogue with his European heritage. Indeed, at times it seems that Pincas, whose poetry is suffused with longings for other cultures, quoting from European literature and often deploying the patterns of classical music, is more of a European poet writing in Hebrew than an Israeli one. And yet, in his seminal article "Harẓa'ah al ha-Zeman" ("A Lecture on Time," 1991), he recalls early experiences, underscoring his local, Israeli identity. Pincas was awarded the Prime Minister's Prize and, in 2005, the Israel Prize. Some of his poems have been translated into various languages, for instance Discours sur le temps: Choix de poèmes (1997).

bibliography:

H. Yeshurun, in: Ḥadarim, 6 (1987), 141–150; A. Or, in: Haaretz (Oct. 30, 1992); M. Gluzman, in: Haaretz Sefarim (Aug. 16, 2000); N. Zach, in: Hed ha-Ḥinukh, 76:6–7 (2002), 45; A. Melamed, in: Yedioth Aharonoth (Apr. 14, 2005); R. Yagil, in: Maariv (Apr. 29, 2005); R. Weichert, in: Haaretz (July 1, 2005).

[Anat Feinberg (2^nd ed.)]