Artist Ze'ev Engelmayer Recounts Threats, Police Inaction, and Post-Oct 7th Art Project
Artist and activist Ze'ev Engelmayer, known for his drag persona 'Shoshka,' has spoken out about receiving explicit death threats following the October 7th Hamas attacks, stating that despite reporting them to the police, no action was taken. Engelmayer, who previously performed as Shoshka daily, significantly reduced his appearances in the persona after October 7th, feeling it was inappropriate. He shifted his focus to a project called 'Postcards,' creating daily drawings of hostages held in Gaza, aiming to keep their plight in the public eye and advocate for their release. These drawings have been exhibited internationally and have led to emotional connections with hostage families and survivors.
Engelmayer described the profound impact of meeting with families of hostages, noting their resilience and strength in the face of unimaginable trauma. He shared specific encounters, including delivering a drawing to Gali Tresschansky, meeting Carmel Gat's father, and witnessing the releases of Yafa Adar and Luis Har shortly after he depicted them. These experiences, while deeply moving, also brought moments of profound difficulty, including one instance where a conversation with someone who had visited the Nova music festival site after the massacre left him unable to sleep and feeling inadequate as a teacher the next day.
Reflecting on his artistic activism, Engelmayer believes in its power to influence reality, citing past successes like his campaign against inciting posters. He acknowledges the widespread fatigue with protests but urges against despair, emphasizing that giving up benefits adversaries. He views the upcoming elections as critically important and expresses concern about potential authoritarian shifts. Engelmayer also touched upon the vandalism of an exhibition on draft evasion, condemning the act as a sign of the current violent climate and contrasting it with the non-violent nature of art.
Regarding his past arrest in 2020 for wearing the Shoshka costume, Engelmayer recounted feeling humiliated by the police, including being stripped, and noted the subsequent disappearance of his police file. Despite filing a complaint with the Police Internal Investigations Department, it was closed without explanation. Engelmayer also mentioned his intention to sue the police for wrongful arrest and detention, though this has been delayed due to his involvement in other activist activities.
Engelmayer observes a shift in his artistic expression, moving from cynicism towards a more emotional and empathetic approach, though he still employs satire when addressing issues like government spending on projects like raising the Altalena ship while many citizens remain displaced. He sees activism as an act of hope, not despair, and believes his art, even when depicting difficult subjects, carries a message of life and optimism. He also shared his thoughts on the rise of AI in art, finding it fascinating but ultimately alienating compared to the personal connection he feels when creating art manually.
