For 25 years, Bank Hapoalim’s annual Israeli Art Exhibition has celebrated the country’s vibrant artistic landscape. This year, however, the exhibition carries a deeper, more urgent message.
In the wake of the October 7 massacre, art becomes more than just a form of expression – it becomes a means of healing, remembrance, and resilience.
At the heart of this year’s exhibition are the survivors of the Supernova music festival, whose lives were irrevocably altered in an instant.
The proceeds from the exhibition will support the Nova Tribe Community Association, a lifeline for survivors, bereaved families, and the families of abductees.
The organization provides direct assistance to festival survivors, supports families of abductees, and stands with the loved ones of those murdered that day.
Nearly 600 artworks will be displayed across six floors of Bank Hapoalim’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, featuring a diverse mix of renowned and emerging artists.
Among the esteemed contributors this year are Sigalit Landau, Miriam Cabessa, Jonathan Ullman, Zoya Cherkassky, Olga Kundina, Shimon Pinto, Yair Garbuz, Philip Rantzer, Yoni Gold, Michel Platnic, Moshe Tarka, and Ziv Koren.
Hapoalim exhibition offers a powerful response to tragedy
Together, their works form a powerful response to tragedy – an artistic testament to solidarity and the unbreakable human spirit.
A special exhibition, Good Eyes, will honor Israel’s reservists, whose heroism during the Israel-Hamas War continues to inspire the nation.
Curated by Shoshi Chehanover, it features 25 striking photographs from a project led by Dafna Bar Gabbay, offering a rare and intimate look into life on the front.
Serving also as a platform for rebuilding, Café Otef, created to support displaced residents of the Western Negev, will open near the gift shop, offering regional products as a symbol of resilience for communities forced to start anew.
The legacy of Dvir Karp, a talented chocolatier murdered in the attacks, will also live on through the sale of his artisanal chocolates – a bittersweet tribute to a life cut short.
The Israeli Art Exhibition is more than a display of paintings and sculptures; it is a space for remembrance, healing, and hope.
It invites visitors not just to observe, but to engage – to take part in a collective journey of healing and recovery.
The exhibition will be open to the public on Saturday, February 15 (7 p.m.-10 p.m.), and Sunday-Monday, February 16-17 (5 p.m.-8 p.m.), at Bank Hapoalim’s headquarters, 63 Yehuda Halevi Street, Tel Aviv. For full details, visit artpoalim.co.il