The War on the Wall: A Look at the Spectrum of Expression of Israeli Graffiti Art
You’ve probably heard about the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Maybe you’ve seen pictures of the warring messages between Israelis and Palestinians sprayed onto the concrete slabs of the West Bank Barrier wall separating Israel and the West Bank. But the last thing I expected to see while traveling around the Holy Land this past January was the silent struggle between Israeli and Israeli silently waged on the walls of Israel’s biggest cities.
The graffiti movement that started in the 80’s in Israel as a way for some to speak out against gentrification has since become a vibrant street art culture, tourist attraction, and outlet to express opinions about not only issues happening along the country’s borders, but within it.
Today, walking down the street in Israel’s major cities, the walls are teeming with color: from illegal tags to commissioned murals and pointed political messages to government authorized street art.
Tel Aviv
Street art in Tel Aviv's Florentin district
As varied as the types of street art are the messages that they convey. As potent as political advocates, street artists can be found on both sides of the political and religious spectrum and everywhere in between. The topics range from Botox and the LGBTQ community to the situation in Palestine and the debate of the observance of Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath.
“What are the topics that we have here? One is war. War between Jews and Arabs. Second one after, Jews between themselves: secular and orthodox. We have so many talking about Israel and the diaspora,” says Niro Faub, a local artist and and street art tour guide based in Tel Aviv.
“What are the topics that we have here? One is war. War between Jews and Arabs. Second one after, Jews between themselves."
Niro Taub
Some of the difference in popular opinion can be seen in the stark contrast of what locals are painting – and not painting -- on the walls in Israel’s two biggest cities: Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. A possible explanation for the difference in expression can be explained by the delineation between secular and orthodox Jewish populations in the respective cities. In Tel Aviv, considered the gay capitol of the Middle East, culture and consequently, topics of discussion in street art, are clearly more liberal than those in Jerusalem, capitol and home of the holiest sites for three of the world’s major religions.
Jerusalem
Grafitti in Jerusalem's "Shuk" Market
A popular topic of discussion is if it should be unlawful to refuse to practice Shabbat. In Israel, it is illegal to open shops on the Jewish Sabbath, the time from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. In Tel Aviv, where more people are secular, this is seen as a topic up for debate.
Adam Bellos, Florentin resident who’s commissioned multiple pieces of street art by street artist, Solomon Souza, explains why he thinks the art form is important for the expression of Israelis. “I think that street art beautifies the area. I also think that street art and the visual expression of Israelis is extremely important given the situation here and -- I mean -- you can’t have a thriving society without having a thriving art culture. That’s absolutely impossible to do. Where you find society, you find artwork. And usually you find art before you find society. But you can’t have a soul without art. Or a national soul at least.”
"You can’t have a thriving society without having a thriving art culture. . . Where you find society, you find artwork."
Adam Bellos
Regardless of political or religious standing, Taub would distinguish Israeli graffiti art as having one distinct quality: "This is the Israeli attitude: [it] puts you out of the comfort zone. Because if you want to be “comfort zone,” go to Wynwood in Miami and go to Williamsburg or Buschwick. And. . . you must understand -- it’s not that you don’t have street artists in the states, it’s just lower. They think it’s more political to see them about Obamacare, about Donald Trump, and Black Lives Matter.”
As unpredictable as the political climate in Israel is the future of the topics of Israeli graffiti art: As Taub says, it "is is a tool for having a communication between opinion. Let’s say you’re completely left wing, and I’m right wing, then we can’t have a conversation. We’re going to argue and fight. Through art, and this is what I’m trying to tell them, “guys, it’s only your opinion. Everyone has a different opinion. It’s okay that you don’t agree and accept the other one – but this is how we live.”