This painting was presented at the group exhibition 'I left behind, a home', at Beit Kandinof gallery, Jaffa, July 2024. The curators invited artists to give an illustrated comment on the ongoing situation in Israel were citizens are forced away from their houses, in the threat of invasion and rockets. Millions had to leave behind homes, with possessions, memories and personal stories.
Many evacuees housed at hotels, unconditionally and without expiration date. Although it might sounds like a dream, after a couple of month all longed to have their lives and homes back.
I drew the house of Rachel and Yishai from kibbutz Dafna, at the northern part of Israel, on the Lebanese border. Their daughter told me that lately they sneak back to the locked kibbutz, even tough they do not have a bomb shelter in their house, to take care of the garden and prepare their own meals.
The painting itself made with ink and watercolors and was based on reference photos the family sent me. Being originally from a kibbutz at the north myself, I felt close to their story and tried giving the place the sense of tranquility every kibbutz has. On first glance the place might seems deserted, but if you look closely you could see the family's vehicle, park near the house and at the left side of the painting a small hint of a neighboring house got hit by a rocket, smoke rising from it, darkens the sky.
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