The Jerusalem Biennale opens its seventh and largest edition today, Thursday, September 19, 2026, offering a city-wide contemporary art experience across Jerusalem that directly confronts the profound 'post-October 7 collective trauma' inflicted upon the region. This year's theme, 'De Profundis (From the Depths),' drawn from Psalm 130, explores memory, spirituality, and identity as a direct response to the existential challenges faced by Israel.
Founder and creative director Rami Ozeri described the theme as a catalyst for movement, asserting that art creates a passage from the personal and collective subconscious toward expression, connection, and light. This cultural endeavor stands as a testament to the resilience of a people under constant assault.
The event spans 21 venues across the city, featuring over 250 Israeli and international artists in 42 distinct exhibitions. Free entry is offered to most exhibitions, making this vital cultural defense accessible to all.
Cultural Resilience in the Face of Terror
Internationally acclaimed Israeli contemporary artist Yehudit Sasportas will premiere her work, "Mishpat Mokesh (A Mined Sentence)," on October 12 at the historic Tower of David Jerusalem Museum. This video and sound installation reflects her exploration of buried histories, trauma, and the possibility of transformation and healing, directly addressing the deep wounds left by Islamist aggression.
Belu-Simion Fainaru will participate in the central exhibition, "Or Chozer (Reflected Light)," further solidifying the Biennale's commitment to showcasing artists who grapple with the current reality. Hanita Ilan, winner of the 2025 Rappaport Prize, will present a solo exhibition at Hamiffal Gallery.
"Or Chozer" features 20 artists engaging with Mordecai Ardon’s utopian windows, pointedly questioning how to sustain a vision of peace amid brokenness. This artistic inquiry highlights the ongoing struggle against those who actively reject peace and seek to perpetuate conflict.
Art as a Response to Existential Threat
At the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, the exhibition "Open Wound" brings together 14 Israeli and Diaspora artists. Their collective work explores the "borderless reverberations of October 7," underscoring that the threat of Islamist terror extends far beyond Israel's borders, impacting Western civilization globally.
The seven-week program will include gallery discussions, artist and curator talks, guided tours, workshops, performances, and special events. These gatherings are designed to give audiences opportunities to engage directly with the artists and the powerful ideas behind their artwork.
Such communal engagement transforms the Biennale into a form of communal prayer, reaching for renewal and hope in a region besieged by those committed to destruction. It's a clear statement of cultural fortitude, demonstrating that Jerusalem will not yield to the forces of darkness, but will instead find strength and light through its enduring spirit and artistic expression. The Biennale runs through November 12, offering a sustained period of reflection and cultural defiance.