'Talent unleashed' was the title of the review of his second exhibition printed in the Hamilton Press (16 April, 2008; p.8). Not a surprise to his entourage, but all the same, he has sold 21 paintings - some to international visitors, since the start of the year. Avidly painting as if to make up for lost time since his discovery. If you are in Hamilton in June, don't miss this exhibition (La Commune, 244 Victoria Street), which will feature a silent auction (starting 27 May through to 11 June). Yaniv also received offers to exhibit in a number of local art events. The June exhibition follows two very successful ones (March at Momento, University of Waikato Campus and April in SANDZ Gallery, Frankton Village, Hamilton.

Pseudo Triangles 570 X 500mm Acrylic on canvas

Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism, places Yaniv at the edge of communication with his surroundings. In words and actions, Yaniv already had a radically different point of view than those around him - not as a planned choice, nor oppositional - rather just different, that's all. 'Talent unleashed' referred to the fact that it is this year that it all burst through the canvas with his paintbrush channelling the messages of hope he wants to convey.

Don't go breaking my heart 570 X 500mm Watercolour on canvas

In 'Don't go breaking my heart' he asks if hearts can be mended on the canvas medium. One has to ponder long and hard on this one, as the painting offers a number of alternatives. Who said autistic people have trouble expressing emotions? In fact, the 2008 exhibition tour is called 'Y-artism' - because a new movement inspired by autism may be shaping up!

Yaniv's statement through colour leads us into a world of innocence and charm. His style is fresh, enticing and exudes happiness - colours literally burst out of the canvas. Colour is his passion and where he started his journey - a number of watercolour studies on canvas explore how different nuances combine together, blending into each other and then into the surface of the material. Painting is a sensory affair - he says colours almost have tastes and calls pastels 'sweet colours'. Art is his way of sharing a world of joy and passion that he perhaps cannot express otherwise. On canvas he dares pushing boundaries that may not be pushed.

Violettes 230 X 180mm Watercolour study on canvas. This work is part of a 12 piece study, each in different shades.

In developing his career as an artist, he likes to experiment with different geometric and abstract ideas. On the morning of his birthday, he picked up the newspaper after engaging with the SuDoKo game of the day asking himself what would happen if numbers were in fact colours. The result is an enchanting painting called 'Su Do Ko March 29', of course. He followed with subsequent studies where squares became distorted into triangles and colours moved around the canvas. A Wintec Mediarts lecturer notes the SuDoKo painting "can represent a very personal experience but at the same time a very formal one too. It's great also to see how the artist corrupts the previous experience into different shapes - that's what's great about art - you can mess around with things and structures". The Mediarts visitor qualified the exhibition as being "amazing".

See more of Yaniv's work on www.y-artist.blogspot.com or visit the exhibition at La Commune, 244 Victoria Street, Hamilton.