Artworks Catalog

Nirit Takele's large-scale paintings emphasize her figures' power and presence, drawing from socialist realism and Israel's 'sabra' identity structure. Her work honors Ethiopia's rich history and the resilience of Ethiopian Jews in preserving their religion throughout the years in exile and offers an empowering counter-narrative to media depictions.
The painting was created for the group exhibition 'If I Was Body' at the Petah Tikva Museum of Art, which explores the subject of the body. In response to the subject, Takele focuses on the wounded body - the bodies of soldiers or person injured in war, The composition depicts a man and a woman: he sits upright, exuding confidence, while she leans on him, eyes closed, embodying more vulnerability. Takele subtly addresses the fragility of beauty, particularly in women, as beauty is often perceived as a source of strength in society.  
The Color gold adorns a specific area—his leg and her arm. This gold decoration serves as a metaphor for prosthetics—modern advances allow prosthetic limbs to resemble natural skin. Takele reimagines these prostheses as jewelry, transforming injury symbols into beauty elements. The gold symbolizes heroism, not loss and Ugliness—a tribute to the bravery of the soldiers, where their wounds become marks of honor.