To Judy Chicago and Nadya Tolokonnikova,
We, the undersigned, are artists from Israel-Palestine working in various disciplines. We are writing to implore you to cancel your upcoming exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum so as to not be complicit with and not art-wash the genocide and ongoing ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank.
We strongly believe that as Israel annihilates not only Gaza’s population and its ability to sustain life, but also its history, culture, and heritage, cooperation with an Israeli establishment by international artists projects a false sense of normalcy—effectively turning a blind eye to the genocide Israel has been perpetrating in Gaza for almost two years.
We question the nature of such an exhibition that claims to speak the language of feminism while ignoring the fact that Israel violates women’s rights every day. According to a UN Women’s analysis from May 19, 2025, more than twenty-eight thousand women and girls have been killed in Gaza since October 2023 (the death toll is most likely much higher), among them artists Heba Zagout, Hiba Abu Nada, Amna Al-Salmi, and Dina Khaled Zaurub, just to name a few. To speak about feminism within an institution of a state that perpetrates such atrocities while ignoring them is hypocrisy.
We are writing to you—artists whose work is deeply committed to social justice and feminism, who seek to fight power and critique forms of oppression. We believe that Israel’s actions are in violation of the vision of the world that you promote through your art, and ask that you do not use your names and reputations to support those actions. Where we choose to display our art is inherently a political choice. Presenting art that speaks of social justice issues in a country that is in the midst of committing a genocide allows this country to build a facade of progressivism, and to utilize your art and reputation to whitewash its crimes.
Signatures:
Barak Heymann, filmmaker, Jaffa.
Ilan Volkov, classical musician, Israel.
David Reeb, visual artist, Tel Aviv.
Einat Weizman, theatre and video, Tel Aviv.
Majd Asadi, musician, Haifa.
Uriel Kon, Writer and publisher, Jaffa- Tel Aviv.
Guy Ben Ner, visual artist, Ramat Gan.
Noa Heyne, fine arts (Sculpture), Berlin.
Michal Sapir, musician and writer, Tel Aviv.
Anna Dubinsky, painter and graphic designer, Haifa.
Elena Chermoshniuk, Painter, Toronto.
Doron Ben David, Musician, Paris.
Ofer Gazit, Musician, Venice.
Or David, video artist, Jerusalem.
Rachel Hagigi, multidisciplinary artist, jaffa.
Lital Biton, visual artist, Jaffa- Tel Aviv.
Aya Zamir, visual artist, Jaffa- Tel Aviv.
Oreet Ashery, visual artist, London.
Or Ben David, theatre, Jerusalem.
Sivan mer, chalk, Ashqelon.
Sawsan Masarwa, designer for social change, Israel.
Dvorah Etzion, musician, Tel Aviv.
Neora Shem, digital artist, Tel Aviv.
Shirli Nadav, filmmaker, Tel Aviv.
Nir Harel, sculpture, Jerusalem.
Esti Tsal, photographer, Tel Aviv.
Davis Opp, multidisciplinary artist, Pardes Hana/ Tel Aviv.
Nadav Arnon, graphic designer, Israel.
Haidi Motola, visual artist, Helsinki.
Galia Hai, visual artist, Tel Aviv.
Aviv Zik Hayat, photography/drawing, Petach Tikva.
Erika Tamara Traubmann, metalsmith, Israel.
Adva Moyal, henna, ceramics, painting and felting, Jerusalem.
Idan Ish Shalom, painter, Kfar Saba.
Ray- V, video art, Tel Aviv.
Nirith Ben Horin, Designer, Tel Aviv.
Sybil Goldfiner, fashion, Tel Aviv.
Ruti Lavi, poet, Israel.
Stav Atlan, poet, Haifa.
Eddie Botstein, photography and architecture, Tel Aviv.
Rafi Spivak, filmmaker, Vancouver.
Gil Schneider, musician, Berlin.
Talia Givon, Musician, Israel-Palestine.
Gor Ben Shalom, Video, Be’er Sheva.
Noa Sadka, photography and writing, Israel.
Lenny Gaunt, printmaker, Tel Aviv.
M.S, video, Jaffa.
Uri Yacobi Keller, musician, Berlin.
Ariel Karmi Dror, street art, Jaffa- Tel Aviv.
Eldad Rafaeli, photographer, Israel.
Yoram Kupermintz, active postmodernism, Palestine.
Nimrod, video, Israel.
Ruthie Ginsburg, art research, Jaffa- Tel Aviv.
I helped launch “What If Women Ruled the World?” with Judy a few years ago, but don’t have any control over ongoing logistics or where it is shown. I agree with the artists who wrote the letter asking that the piece not be exhibited at the Tel Aviv Museum.
