Exhibit Connects Historical Israeli Posters to Modern Protests
An exhibition titled "Eretz Yoshevia" (Land of its Inhabitants) in Tel Aviv is drawing parallels between historical Israeli propaganda posters and contemporary social and political movements. The exhibit, which features posters from 1932 to 1959, aims to provide historical perspective amidst the current turbulent period in Israel, marked by the aftermath of the October 7th war and ongoing public protests.
The collection, sourced from the "Zionism 2000" archive amassed by philanthropist Roni Duek, includes over 1,000 original posters and designs. These works, created by prominent designers of the pre-state and early state eras, visually articulated the ideological messages of the time. They highlight periods of civilian mobilization driven not only by external threats but also by an internal sense of responsibility to shape society.
Slogans like "Awaken, Awaken to the Holy War," "Join Us, Dear Sister," and "Defend Your Homeland" are featured, alongside imagery of the "new Hebrew" and the Zionist dream. The exhibition also showcases protest posters, often using symbols like a raised clenched fist, reflecting political and ideological sentiments that resonate with current issues such as mandatory conscription, religion-state relations, economic solidarity, and the struggle for democracy.
Alongside the posters, a video art piece by Ran Slavin, also titled "Eretz Yoshevia," revisits significant protests and struggles in Israeli history, from the White Paper era and the Wadi Salib and Black Panthers movements to contemporary protests concerning the cost of living, the Law of Return, and religion-state relations. The exhibition seeks to transform the concept of "a land that devours its inhabitants" into "a land of its inhabitants," fostering an environment of equality, fraternity, and mutual respect among all citizens.
The exhibition is located at 17 Brodetsky Street, Tel Aviv, in the historic Hanna Brodetsky House, a 1930s building formerly a cinema, which is one of three "Hanna Houses" in Tel Aviv owned by Roni Duek. Admission is free.
