BROTA is about bio-diversity and nature in the city. Although this is not my usual subject matter, I challenged myself with it. The city's streets and parks overflow with an abundance of magnificent old trees. I wandered aimlessly, collecting seedpods and admiring the variety and order of nature. I have always loved patterns, the way lines and shapes are repeated in endless forms, to scribble them, stylize them, draw them. For hours each day, I found myself painting tree bark patterns in black ink. The more I immersed myself in them, the more patterns I found in my walks around the city.

But people are an inseparable part of my art. I witnessed two demonstrations that are held every March: International Women’s Day and the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice, both astounding in scope. In my art, I chose to express my admiration for the gathering of tens of thousands of women from all ages and backgrounds calling for equality and protesting against gender-based violence, rape and murder. Many held improvised hand-painted signs with a personal slogan, the individual strength of each woman shining out. For the past year I have been drawing posters with anti-woman accusatory sentiments (mainly religious “Pashkevils”), so the personal lettering on these signs resonated with me. I drew from my photos, in blue pencil.

These two expressions of my experiences came together in the residency exhibition.

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The residency was supported by a grant awarded by the Israel Ministry of Culture and Sport's Fund for Independent Creators.