Former News Photographer Turns Studio into Human Memory Exhibit on October 7th
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Former news photographer Emil Tabosov has opened an exhibition in Be'er Sheva titled "Exiting the Darkness," dedicated to the October 7th massacre. The exhibition features staged, black-and-white studio photographs designed to convey emotion without graphic imagery. Tabosov stated the exhibition aims to ensure the events are not forgotten and to counter perceived government attempts to evade responsibility. The works include recurring motifs of clocks and a single spot of color, symbolizing life amidst darkness.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former news photographer Emil Tabosov opened "Exiting the Darkness," an exhibition dedicated to the October 7th massacre.
- The exhibition uses staged studio photographs to convey emotion, avoiding graphic depictions of violence.
- Tabosov aims to ensure the October 7th events are not forgotten and criticizes perceived government evasion of responsibility.
- Recurring motifs include clocks symbolizing stopped time and a single spot of color in black-and-white images.
- The exhibition features approximately 30 volunteers and is intended to inspire hope and forward movement.
Former veteran news photographer Emil Tabosov has opened a solo exhibition titled "Exiting the Darkness" at the "Tצלמניה" gallery in Be'er Sheva. The exhibition, which opened on October 6th, is dedicated to the events of October 7th, 2023. Unlike his previous documentary work, Tabosov created this exhibition entirely within his studio, eschewing actual footage from the field. Instead, he staged emotionally charged scenes designed to convey pain, shock, and depth without depicting destruction or blood.
Tabosov, who spent 22 years documenting significant moments in Israel, experienced a turning point in his life in 2022 when he suffered a heart attack during a live broadcast from Sderot. The events of October 7th, 2023, which he described as a day when time seemed to stop for everyone, profoundly impacted him. He felt a duty to honor the victims, especially two fellow photographers who were murdered with their families, and to counter what he perceives as attempts to downplay or forget the massacre.
"The government that did not take responsibility is trying to shift it to someone else," Tabosov stated, criticizing the government's initial response and lack of accountability. He also drew a parallel to the Salaspils extermination camp in Latvia, where he noted efforts to rename it a "labor camp," reinforcing his exhibition's motto: "Do not forget. Do not forgive. Do not let it be forgotten."
The exhibition features 19 works, all in black and white, with a single spot of color in each, symbolizing a "point of life within the dark reality." A recurring motif is a clock, representing both his personal moment of stopped time during his heart attack and the collective pause on October 7th. Approximately 30 volunteers, ranging from 1.5 to 70 years old, participated in the staged photographs, with their faces intentionally obscured.
Tabosov hopes visitors will leave with a sense of hope and a call to action, emphasizing the need for Israelis to move forward, provide real answers, and look to the future. The final piece in the exhibition is a colorful painting of his wife, artist L. Tabosov.