Artist Honors Fallen Soldiers by Drawing Their Portraits

Artist David Braka has launched a project called "Panim," meaning "faces" in Hebrew, to draw portraits of 968 Israeli soldiers who have fallen since October 7, 2023. Braka, who is also a combat veteran, was inspired to start the project after returning from fighting in Gaza and losing a friend. He found that drawing became a way to pay tribute to his friend, readapt to civilian life, and rebuild himself. His first portrait was of his fallen friend, intended as a thank you, a way to preserve memory, and leave a trace of the person he knew.

Braka has since expanded the project to include other soldiers, some of whom he did not know personally. His goal is to capture the personality of each soldier beyond their physical features. To achieve this, he often speaks with the soldiers' families, who sometimes request portraits of their loved ones. He also researches the soldiers' backgrounds and studies multiple photographs to capture a specific expression or presence. Braka emphasizes that the aim of his art is to create something "living" rather than just a technical reproduction of a photograph, allowing families to connect with a sense of their lost loved ones.

The presentation of the framed portraits to the families is described as a deeply moving experience, with Braka noting the unexpected warmth the portraits bring. He shares that seeing the genuine and "living" reaction in the eyes of the recipients is the most rewarding aspect of his work. While many portraits are created, Braka retains most of them for upcoming exhibitions before they are given to the families. The portrait of his initial friend has not yet been given to his parents.

Braka acknowledges the emotional weight of each drawing and finds motivation by focusing on what the soldiers fought for, drawing inspiration from their words and writings, particularly their war diaries. He aims to learn from their experiences and convey their enduring legacy, viewing his art as both a memorial effort and a form of personal reconstruction. The "Panim" project is scheduled to be exhibited in Paris from October 18-21 and in Tel Aviv in November, featuring an immersive experience designed to convey the artist's feelings during the creation process.