Art in a Time of War
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VISUAL ART
Artistic expression is booming in Israel. Many have said that if you’re not in milium (army reserve duty), you’re probably creating something. Israeli artists of all disciplines have used their art as a way to take action, they’ve used their art to tell the stories of individuals, as calls for political action (both in Israel and abroad), as a means of escape, as a way to remember and to foster unity, and so much more.
HOW TO USE THESE RESOURCES
This collection of resources highlights the creativity that has come alive across Israel since October 7. As you explore them, we encourage you to use these questions and conversation prompts to spark discussion and engagement with any of the stories or art pieces.
QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE
1. What’s one idea or perspective that is new to you?
2. Do you notice any recurring colors or symbols? And if so, do you think they are significant?
3. If you were talking to a friend, how would you describe these pieces of art?
4. What is one question you’d like to ask one of the artists?
5. Do you think one image is worth a thousand words? Why or why not?
6. What do you want to explore further?
DESIGN INITIATIVES
Walls of Hope was created by Free Our Kids IL and was curated by Yambo Studio in collaboration with 40 Artists. The installation consists of 38 murals on the exterior walls of the Grand Flour Mill in southern Tel Aviv. Each mural is dedicated to each of the 38 children detained in Gaza, echoing a united call for their immediate return.
For a more in-depth exploration of this resource, explore The iCenter’s “Design Duty: Artists as Activists”
This platform serves as a channel for graphic artists in Israel to articulate the pain, anger, shock, and sadness experienced on October 7 and its aftermath. Many moving and poignant works were disseminated across social networks swiftly and organically, transforming them into informative tools and a medium for expressing solidarity. New images are uploaded regularly as the situation evolves.
Wrapping Memory is an initiative by the Department of Visual Communication at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design Jerusalem. This project aims to capture and commemorate the beauty of the region of the Gaza Envelope as it was before the tragic morning of October 7 through works of art. All funds raised from the sale of the designs will be used to support residents of the Gaza Envelope.
Post a Smile was created to give people expressions of hope during these challenging times.
Women: Heroines & War is a compilation of images and stories of women who have performed heroic acts. Each story is accompanied by an image created by a female designer. The site accepts stories from the public and encourages the posting of images and stories.
October 31, 2023
The Instagram page Names and Faces (@namesandfaces.il) was created to give a voice, a name, and a face to many of those impacted by the events of October 7.
ARTISTS IN ACTION
January 20, 2024
Since October 7, the illustrator and humorist known as Shoshke has turned to drawing a pseudo-naive version of the day’s stories
Established in 1906, Bezalel is Israel’s preeminent academic institution for art, design, and architecture—pioneering originality, creativity, and innovation. After the events of October 7, Bezalel joined in a variety of voluntary actions to support the troops, civil society, and the home front.
January 5, 2024
The New York Jewish Museum presents a new exhibit of 12 drawings created by renowned Israeli artist Zoya Cherkassky in response to the Hamas attacks. The colorful but violent and gut-wrenching works are inspired in part by Pablo Picasso’s renowned “Guernica,” which he painted to show the world the violence and inhumanity during the Spanish Civil War.
December 26, 2023
Aiming to bring light at a particularly dark time, illustrators depict Gaza border communities before they were ravaged by Hamas.
Read “Artists Illustrate Reactions to Oct. 7 at Jerusalem’s Outline Festival” from Times of Israel
December 14, 2023
Zeev Engelmayer, a prominent Israeli artist, draws the traumas of Oct. 7 in a jarring, surreal, and childlike visual language, capturing the nation’s pain.
Read “The Israeli Nightmare Finds Its Illustrator” from Tablet
December 12, 2023
Nassima-Landau, an art space established to renew the Tel Aviv art scene after the Covid lockdown, is trying to help again, this time auctioning Israeli artworks to raise funds for Gaza border communities.
Read “Art Auction Seeks to Aid Kibbutz Gallery, Gaza Borders Teens” from Times of Israel
December 11, 2023
‘Or Gadol’ exhibit of 98 artworks by 75 artists at the Jaffa Port includes well-known names alongside younger creatives from the south reacting to the devastating Hamas attacks.
Read “Artist’s Anxieties About Gaza Rise to Surface in October 7 Exhibit” from Times of Israel
October 22, 2023
Design schools Bezalel and Shenkar ramp up volunteer teams to customize gear for troops and reservists. Click here to watch a video from Shenkar about their work.
Read “Designers Sew for Combat Soldiers, Pivoting From Fashion To Function” from Times of Israel
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