Street art in Israel

Last updated
Graffiti by Addam Yekutieli Cash, Cans & Candy by Know Hope & 2501, Liesing.jpg
Graffiti by Addam Yekutieli
Pilpeled's graffiti Pilpeled romano tel aviv tlv teder kido .jpg
Pilpeled's graffiti
Dede's graffiti Bandaids closeup.jpg
Dede's graffiti
Solomon Souza's graffiti Mahane Yehuda Market mural2.jpg
Solomon Souza's graffiti

Street art in Israel refers to different forms of visual art found on public walls, buildings, and other surfaces throughout the State of Israel. Israeli street art reflects the country's unique cultural, historical, and political landscape. [1]

Contents

In addition to contemporary street art, Israel offers many examples of ancient graffiti. Inscriptions and drawings have been found in archaeological sites throughout the country that provide insight into the everyday lives of ancient civilizations. [2]

Israeli street art has gained recognition both locally and internationally for its creativity, impact, and contribution to the urban art scene. There is also a substantial amount of street art made by Palestinians to criticize the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, most prominently on the Israeli West Bank barrier. Notable Israeli street artists include Dede, AMNESIA, Addam Yekutieli, Pilpeled, and Solomon Souza. [3] [4] [5]


Ancient graffiti

Graffiti written by Jews in this area can be traced back to the 8th century BCE in places such as Beit She'arim. While the most common graffiti were phrases like "Good luck in your resurrection" and “My beloved was here”, more outlandish graffiti was found too, such as "You will come to an evil end if you rob this grave” and "Lasius is a pervert." [6] And while ancient graffiti was most commonly found near tombs, it also was used in everyday ancient life for various purposes such as advertising a store or mark rows of theater seats to claim ownership. However, as professor Karen B. Stern notes, creating these markings was not an easy task, as “powders and fragments would cover one’s face and fill one’s lungs with dust; hardened dirt, rock, and plaster could push back and split fingernails; and carving implements, including metal nails, blades, and stones, surely drew blood when the lighting faded or surfaces grew unwieldy”. [7] Ancient graffiti in this area has been found in many languages including Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, and Greek. [2]

Street art after Rabin assassination

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination in 1995 by an ultranationalist opposed to his peace initiative [8] impacted on Israeli society and shattered the sense of political stability. In the aftermath of Rabin's death, graffiti and street art emerged as a powerful form of expression for many young Israelis. [9] Avigdor Klingman and Ronit Shalev argue that the graffiti produced at this time can be seen as a form of "ritual bereavement" and created a kind of collectivism that allowed individuals to develop an expressive ritual of fellowship which affirmed that one was not alone in grief, anger, shame, or sense of helplessness". [1] A study of the graffiti near the assassination site in Tel Aviv, was carried out, categorizing each piece of art. Set 1 was done immediately after the assassination, and set 2 around 10 months later.

Content and Modality Frequencies of Graffiti in Rabin Square after Rabin's Assassination [1]
Frequency
ContentSet 1Set 2
Relating to loss of Rabin125163
Shock at murder act8090
Reference to future of peace process (as a missed opportunity)5252
Anger (in general)4242
National loss (of historical dimensions; fear for democracy and so forth)2238
Reference to violence (in general)1116
Hope for a better world912
Political protest88
Guilt feelings88
Revenge (anger at the murderer)44
Emotional writing modality268278
Intellectual writing modality93155
Metaphorical writing128131


The study noted how Rabin's past as a military leader was combined with his later desire for peace. For example, one piece of graffiti in the square reads "In memory of the peace leader. We will always be with you in fire and water—I salute you, General," while another says "you were our leader in time of war, a prophet in time of hope and the Messiah in time of peace—and our dream was murdered." The graffiti merges Rabin’s contradictions and allows him to be portrayed as both a military leader and a man of peace." [10]

63% of the signatures were female. Some graffiti was written in English. The most commonly drawn symbols were the Peace sign and the Star of David. [1] Unlike many other instances of graffiti, this type of graffiti was seen as legitimate. Most remained intact for 15 months. When the government announced plans to erase the graffiti, the public protested and stopped the action. [10]

Street art in the West Bank

Banksy's Flying Balloon Girl near the Qalandia checkpoint. West Bank wall at Kalandia (174617912).jpg
Banksy's Flying Balloon Girl near the Qalandia checkpoint.

The Israeli West Bank barrier has become known for its political graffiti. It first began to garner international attention in 2005, after the anonymous British graffiti artist Banksy visited and left nine works on the barrier. This inspired other acclaimed international street artists to paint on the wall, such as Blu, Paul Insect and Sam3. These efforts, and subsequent exposure in the media, resulted in almost one million dollars being raised for Palestinian charities. The art on this barrier is often referred to as a form of Sumud, what literary scholar Tahrir Hamdi calls "creative resistance."

Local Palestinian artists also have a large presence on the wall, whether that is creating their own art or "Palestinizing" the wall art made by others. For example, as a local youth explained, "Someone bricked up the window Banksy painted on the wall. Maybe they didn't like his work, or the idea of a beautiful landscape. For me, the issue is not about rejecting the view but whether it's the right time to imagine it".

The Israeli government often has tried to censor Palestinians from using graffiti and street art as a form of resistance or communication. During the First Intifada, graffiti “became a way to organize protests, strikes, and rallies; to affirm allegiances; to warn against collaboration; and finally, to demarcate political boundaries.” [11] To stop this, Israeli forces imposed fines, threatened imprisonment, and collaborated with local Palestinians to remove the works they found the most troubling, such as those with heavy references to the Nakba. [12]

Some Palestinian critics view these pieces of art as further eroding their sovereignty over their space. Others accuse artists of beautifying the wall and creating artistic tourism that actually helps legitimate its presence. There are also concerns that such murals do not actually challenge Israeli authority.

Recently, with the rise of the so-called "electronic Intifada", graffiti has taken a step back in terms of prominence for Palestinian resistance. There even was an website with a virtual separation barrier, where users could "tag" or "bomb" it with protest art. [11] [13]

Florentin

Graffiti as peace activism: The Peace Kids in Florentin depicting Israeli Srulik and Palestinian Handala embracing one another Graffiti Tel Aviv, Ha-Rav Yitskhak Yedidya Frenkel St - close up.jpg
Graffiti as peace activism: The Peace Kids in Florentin depicting Israeli Srulik and Palestinian Handala embracing one another

Tel Aviv's Florentin neighborhood is known for its vibrant street art scene. Young people are attracted to this area due to the low rents. [14] Florentin has long been the focus of urban renovation plans and many buildings have been marked for demolition. These abandoned buildings have become canvasses, leading to a flourishing graffiti culture. [15] Researcher Caroline Rozenholc notes that the "dark reputation accumulated through years of poverty and lack of municipal concern is nowadays dissolving into a sense of 'authenticity.'” [16]

As much of Florentin's population is low-income, even "smiles, when they appear, can be distorted and twisted, or bordering on lunacy." [15] Graffiti in Florentin is often politically charged and created by rival political groups. In one instance, for example, the slogan "The infiltrators [African migrants and refugees] are a cancer" was changed to read "racism is cancer." Graffiti wars are quite common, with some being changed over and over. [17]

Art tourism

Some say that the fast-paced gentrification of the neighborhood is causing the art on its streets to dwindle, and an outcry ensued when some of the street art was painted over by the municipality. [18] On the other hand, locals are sometimes upset by the proliferation of private street art tours, showing their displeasure with graffiti displaying the message "FUCK UR TOURS." One resident observed that "The tours may be keeping this area alive, but the large amount of dense graffiti creates a sort of layer of makeup on an area that is actually dead. Something about the tours causes me, as a resident, to feel like an animal in the zoo". In response, veteran graffiti artists have stopped working in the neighborhood, favoring less touristy spots in the center of the city. [19]

Jerusalem

Street art in Jerusalem is different than it is in other parts of the country. There have been multiple deliberate projects designed to bolster the presence of graffiti in the capital, mainly by the director of the Jerusalem Center Development Company, a branch of the Jerusalem Development Authority. To be legal, before implementation the designs are subject to approval by both the local authorities and the adjacent residents and business owners who may be impacted by the artwork. Moreover, there are official guidelines in place that prohibit any depictions of political ideologies, violent content, or other unsuitable imagery. [20]

Upside-down portrait of David Ben-Gurion at the Mahane Yehuda Market David Ben-Gurion mural at Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem.jpg
Upside-down portrait of David Ben-Gurion at the Mahane Yehuda Market

Mahane Yehuda

Spearheaded by Solomon Souza (grandson of artist F. N. Souza), the Mahane Yehuda Market has turned into one of the most impressive spots in Jerusalem for street art. Souza has spray-painted over 250 works on the shuttered stalls in the market, depicting well-known contemporary and historical figures. [21] During the week, when the market is open, most of the art is not visible. However, on Shabbat, the market is generally closed and any passerbys can admire the work. Notable figures depicted are:

So far, Souza has completed these murals without any help from the city or third parties, although he is open to working with the municipality or foundations in the future. Souza has said that it has been easy to get permission from the shop owners to paint their shutters, with some even requesting a favorite rabbi or the family patriarch. [23]

Tabula Rasa

Akin to Florentin, the historic Beit Ya'akov neighborhood became run-down in recent years. That is why, according to Hila Smolyanski, director of the visual arts department at the Jerusalem Municipality, this neighborhood was selected by the city to undergo a cultural project. The project, named Tabula rasa (meaning blank slate), was done by 30 artists to create murals and other street art on poles, walls, balconies, shops and doors to revitalize the area. Some of the artists are well-known and have frequented galeries, other are more notorious local graffiti artists. [24] Then Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat explained that the project is “a joint venture between the merchants, the Student Union and the municipality.” [25]

Penalties

The penalty for illegal street art in Israel can be a fine or up to a year in prison. [26] In April 2023, a Bnei Brak resident was arrested for graffitiing “Rabin is a terrorist, war criminal” on a Rabin memorial in Tel Aviv. [27]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tel Aviv</span> City in Israel

Tel Aviv-Yafo, usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a population of 467,875, it is the economic and technological center of the country. If East Jerusalem is considered part of Israel, Tel Aviv is the country's second-most-populous city, after Jerusalem; if not, Tel Aviv is the most populous city, ahead of West Jerusalem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yitzhak Rabin</span> Israeli politician, statesman and general (1922–1995)

Yitzhak Rabin was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–1977, and from 1992 until his assassination in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli West Bank barrier</span> Separation barrier built by Israel inside and around the West Bank since 2000

The Israeli West Bank barrier, comprising the West Bank Wall and the West Bank fence, is a separation barrier built by Israel along the Green Line and inside parts of the West Bank. Israel describes the wall as a necessary security barrier against Palestinian political violence; whereas Palestinians describe it as an element of racial segregation and a representation of Israeli apartheid, who often call it "Wall of Apartheid". At a total length of 708 kilometres (440 mi) upon completion, the route traced by the barrier is more than double the length of the Green Line, with 15% of its length running along the Green Line or inside Israel, and the remaining 85% running as much as 18 kilometres (11 mi) inside the West Bank, effectively isolating about 9% of the land and approximately 25,000 Palestinians from the rest of the Palestinian territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rabin Square</span> Public city square in Israel

Rabin Square, formerly Kings of Israel Square, is a main large public city square in the center of Tel Aviv, Israel. Over the years it has been the site of numerous political rallies, parades, and other public events. In 1995, the square was renamed 'Rabin Square' following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin which occurred there on November 4, 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin</span> 1995 murder in Tel Aviv, Israel

The assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, the fifth prime minister of Israel, took place on 4 November 1995 at 21:30, at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords at the Kings of Israel Square in Tel Aviv. The assassin, an Israeli ultranationalist named Yigal Amir, radically opposed Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's peace initiative, particularly the signing of the Oslo Accords.

Jewish extremist terrorism is terrorism, including religious terrorism, committed by extremists within Judaism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florentin, Tel Aviv</span> Neighborhood

Florentin is a neighborhood in the southern part of Tel Aviv, Israel, named for Solomon Florentin, a Greek Jew who purchased the land in the late 1920s. Development of the area was spurred by its proximity to the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Karpin</span> Israeli broadcast journalist and author (born 1945)

Michael I. Karpin is an Israeli broadcast journalist and author, best known for his investigative documentaries and books, revealing two of Israel's most concealed affairs: The creation of the country's nuclear capability and the nationalistic-messianic incitement campaign that preceded the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. In May 1986, Karpin broke the story of Israel's secret service (Shabak) fabrication of evidence in the course of Bus Line 300's investigation, one of the most controversial political affairs in the history of the country. In 1987, he exposed the Izat Nafsu Affair: a Moslem IDF officer and a Circassian, who was maliciously investigated by the secret service, convicted of spying and eventually exonerated by the Supreme Court. Karpin is married to Pnina, has 3 grownup children and lives in Tel Aviv.

Yehuda Hamaccabi is a neighborhood in the north-central part of Tel Aviv. It is named after Judas Maccabeus, one of the great warriors in Jewish history, who led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire.

Events in the year 2001 in Israel.

Events in the year 1997 in Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaffa</span> Ancient port and city in Tel Aviv, Israel

Jaffa, also called Japho or Joppa in English, is an ancient Levantine port city founded by the Canaanites that is now part of southern Tel Aviv, Israel. Sitting atop a naturally elevated outcrop on the Mediterranean coastline, it was a strategic location that exchanged hands repeatedly in ancient Near East history, and was also contested during the Crusades, when it presided over the County of Jaffa and Ascalon.

Events in the year 2001 in the Palestinian territories.

Sergeant Almog Shiloni of the Israel Defense Forces was killed on 10 November 2014 after he was stabbed multiple times at Tel Aviv HaHagana Railway Station. He died in hospital from his wounds. Shiloni was off-duty, but in uniform and armed at the time.

<i>27 Club</i> graffiti in Tel Aviv Mural by John Kiss in Tel Aviv, Israel

The 27 Club graffiti is a mural in Tel Aviv, Israel, painted by John Kiss, with the assistance of Itai Froumin and Roman Kozhokin. The work depicts, from left to right, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, and an unknown figure believed to depict Kiss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Peace Kids</span> Mural by John Kiss in Tel Aviv, Israel

The Peace Kids is a mural depicting Srulik, a symbol of Israel, in embrace with Handala, a symbol of Palestine. It was created by Israeli artist John Kiss in dual locations: Bethlehem, Palestine and Tel Aviv, Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handala</span> Symbol and personification of the Palestinian people

Handala, also Handhala, Hanzala or Hanthala, is a prominent national symbol and personification of the Palestinian people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nahalat Binyamin</span> Tel Aviv street & neighbourhood in Israel

Nahalat Binyamin is a partially car-free street and a neighbourhood in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Events in the year 2022 in Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Bank Wall graffiti art</span> Street art on the Israeli West Bank barrier

West Bank Wall graffiti art is street art on the walled sections of the Israeli West Bank barrier, by a wide range of international and Palestinian artists. The wall is 8 to 10 metres tall, and is easily accessible to artists as it frequently divides urban areas. The graffiti is on the Palestinian side of the wall and primarily expresses anti-wall sentiments.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Klingman, Avigdor; Shalev, Ronit (June 2001). "Graffiti: Voices of Israeli Youth Following the Assassination of the Prime Minister". Youth & Society. 32 (4): 403–420. doi:10.1177/0044118X01032004001. ISSN   0044-118X. S2CID   220353663.
  2. 1 2 Lyden, Jacki (2011-06-11). "Archaeologists Unscramble Ancient Graffiti In Israel". NPR . Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  3. ↑ Weisberg, Noa (2022-09-25). "Meet Tel Aviv's Best Street Artists". DailyArt Magazine. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  4. ↑ Press, Viva Sarah (2015-05-20). "Are you wearing his art on your sleeve?". ISRAEL21c. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  5. ↑ Ghert-Z, Renee; Tress, Luke. "Young artist turns Jerusalem's market into gallery of famous faces". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  6. ↑ Kahn, Eve (2018-05-24). "The Wit and Wisdom of Ancient Jewish Graffiti". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  7. ↑ Stern, Karen B. (3 November 2020). Writing on the wall : graffiti and the forgotten Jews of antiquity. Princeton University Press. ISBN   978-0-691-21070-4. OCLC   1142891334.
  8. ↑ Rabin, Lea (1997). Rabin : our life, his legacy. New York. ISBN   0-399-14217-7. OCLC   35657826.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. ↑ Engler, Mira (1999-01-15). "A Living Memorial: Commemorating Yitzhak Rabin at the Tel Aviv Square [Speaking of Places]". Places. 12 (2). ISSN   0731-0455.
  10. 1 2 Luzzatto, Diana; Jacobson, Yehuda (September 2001). "Youth Graffiti as an Existential Coping Device: The Case of Rabin's Assassination". Journal of Youth Studies. 4 (3): 351–365. doi:10.1080/13676260120075455. ISSN   1367-6261. S2CID   145469207.
  11. 1 2 Larkin, Craig (2014). "Jerusalem's Separation Wall and Global Message Board: Graffiti, Murals, and the Art of Sumud". The Arab Studies Journal. 22 (1): 134–169. ISSN   1083-4753. JSTOR   24877902.
  12. ↑ Alim, Eray (2020-06-30). "The Art of Resistance in the Palestinian Struggle Against Israel". Türkiye Ortadoğu Çalışmaları Dergisi. doi: 10.26513/tocd.635076 . ISSN   2147-7523. S2CID   218957054.
  13. ↑ "Graffiti Studio: Separation Wall - LRPD & Shual.com". 2012-02-23. Archived from the original on 2012-02-23. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  14. ↑ "Florentin - from Salonika to Soho". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  15. 1 2 Shifrin, Elijah (2015-01-20). "The Street Art of Tel Aviv's Florentin Neighborhood". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  16. ↑ ROZENHOLC, Caroline (2020-10-01). "The Neighborhood of Florentin: A Window to the Globalization of Tel Aviv". Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis. 2 (2). doi: 10.37043/jura.2010.2.2.6 . ISSN   2068-9969. S2CID   130113018.
  17. ↑ "Political Graffiti Wars in a Tel Aviv Neighborhood". Haaretz. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  18. ↑ K2, Lord. "The disappearing street art of Tel Aviv's gentrifying Florentin neighborhood". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ↑ "Tel Aviv Hipster Enclave Draws Gawkers - and Locals Are Pissed". Haaretz. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  20. ↑ Israel, Tourist (2019-12-10). "Jerusalem Street Art". Tourist Israel. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  21. ↑ "Solomon Souza follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, F.N. Souza". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  22. ↑ "Graffiti art at Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market". the Guardian. 2016-03-18. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  23. ↑ Ghert-Z, Renee; Tress, Luke. "Young artist turns Jerusalem's market into gallery of famous faces". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  24. ↑ Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am. "A neglected Jerusalem neighborhood illuminated by street art". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  25. ↑ Leichman, Abigail Klein (2011-10-30). "Urban art spices up Jerusalem's famous Machane Yehuda market". ISRAEL21c. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  26. ↑ שיר-ים (2020-02-22). "סיור גרפיטי בפלורנטין - בירת הגרפיטי של ישראל". Check In/Out (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  27. ↑ ToI Staff. "Man arrested for graffiti vandalism of Rabin memorial in Tel Aviv". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.