Tuesday, October 1, 2024, was a very important day for comics artist Navy Bird, the pen name of Revital Bronstein. That morning, she sent her latest creations to publishers, preparing them for release as a new book. That evening, as she boarded the light rail in Tel Aviv on her way home to Bat Yam, a terrorist attack took her life, along with six other innocent people.
An outdoor exhibition, Still Earth, at Holon’s Museum Garden and Weizmann Square,will present a selection of Bronstein’s diverse works, spanning different periods of her artistic journey, including the book that was published posthumously. It will run from March 2 to May 31.
Navy Bird was only 24 years old when she was murdered. Despite her young age, she had already made a name for herself in the world of comics. Her work appeared in prestigious comics anthologies in Israel and abroad, reaching audiences from England to Japan. She published her original comic book, Otzer Mi’Lechet, which was also translated into English as Still Earth. In addition, she authored instructional books in English, sold through Amazon.
Bronstein was also an active member of creative communities. She contributed comics to the Israeli Comics collective and was part of the London-based WIP Comics collective.
Her British colleagues eulogized her: “Navy Bird was a weaver of dreams, a creator of worlds, a master of color. She nurtured countless stories and characters in her mind, which she shared passionately with anyone willing to listen. We are fortunate that she brought some of those ideas to life. They are gifts of beauty from Bronstein to the world, a testament to her love and dedication to the most delicate of human emotions.”
Beyond her art, Bronstein was a master’s student in the Department of Information Science at Bar-Ilan University and worked in the university’s library system. She was an avid fan of science fiction and fantasy, a field in which she had an encyclopedic knowledge. She loved sharing her passion and delivering in-depth lectures on these subjects – some of which are still available on YouTube. She was also an enthusiastic participant in cosplay events, always bringing her creativity to life in new ways.
Sketching at a young age
Her mother, Liora Bronstein, recalls that her daughter was drawn to art and color from a young age. She would fill her sketchbooks with imaginary worlds, often inspired by her favorite television series, such as Doctor Who, or historical stories, like the commedia dell’arte characters Harlequin and Pierrot.
Navy Bird’s work explored the human condition through fantasy, delving into themes of loneliness, mortality, fragility, and human emotions. She had a remarkable ability to highlight both beauty and imperfection in the smallest details.
The exhibition will feature a selection of images from her artistic journey, revealing how she reimagined existing characters or crafted entirely new narratives within beloved stories – always adding her own unique twist.
March 2 – May 31, Museum Garden outdoor exhibition space (entrance from 61 Weizmann Street, Holon, near the Israeli Cartoon and Comics Museum). Curators: Yotam Oren and Or Koren.
Open 24/7. Free admission.