A group of international graffiti artists is set to embark on a mission to bring hope to a country grappling with conflict and draw attention to the environmental dangers facing the Dead Sea.
From April 16 to 21, ten artists from Argentina, Paraguay, Greece, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and the United States will transform abandoned, former Jordanian military barracks near Kalia Beach at the Dead Sea into vast concrete canvases for fantastical murals.
Craig Dershowitz, the founder of Artists 4 Israel (A4I), has assembled a team of some of the world’s greatest street artists with the goal of using art to heal, while avoiding the current political fault lines in Israel. “While my organization exposes artists to Israel — all of it, from the beauty of Jerusalem to areas that have been racked by war — our mission is humanitarian, not political. In the Middle East, the desert blooming has always symbolized healing. We are making the desert bloom with art,” says Dershowitz.
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The Dead Sea, located 427 meters below sea level, is the lowest place on Earth not at the bottom of an ocean. Known for its high concentrations of minerals, the lake is a popular tourist attraction where visitors marvel at salt sculptures and float effortlessly in its waters. However, the Dead Sea faces an environmental crisis as its water level drops to 4 feet yearly. The lake has shrunk to two-thirds of its size in just 50 years, and the freshwater sources that feed it have been increasingly diverted for drinking water and irrigation by Israel, Jordan, and Syria. Cosmetic companies also harvest Dead Sea water for its rich minerals.
The murals created by international artists will join the work of local artists on the site with the aim of raising awareness and sparking action to save the dying Dead Sea. “Our ‘Dead Sea Gallery’ was founded to help bring more attention to the ill-fated Dead Sea,” says Itay Maor, a curator of Gallery Minus 430, named after the shores of the Dead Sea being about 430 meters below sea level.
Saving the Dead Sea is not only an environmental imperative but also has potential benefits for medical research. The unique ecosystem of the Dead Sea sustains rare forms of life that exist nowhere else on the planet, including microorganisms, bacteria, and fungi responsible for novel cancer and other medical treatments. “Israel and its neighboring countries need to live up to their promises to reverse the degradation of this world treasure before it becomes irreversible,” warns Lionel Leventhal, a pharmaceutical and biotech angel investor.
Artists 4 Israel is known for using art to address important causes. During the first war with Gaza, the non-profit gained international recognition for painting bomb shelters in Sderot, a small community barraged by rockets, into beautiful refuges for residents. Since then, Artists 4 Israel has connected thousands of artists to Israel, become a leader in using art to support pro-Israel causes on American campuses and fought against anti-Semitism through art worldwide.
After completing their murals in time for Earth Day on April 22, 2023, the ten international artists will tour Israel, meet people from diverse backgrounds, and immerse themselves in the culture. They will also return to the Dead Sea to enjoy its pleasures, slathering themselves in mineral-rich mud on the beach – a place they hope to help save through their artistic endeavors.
