The Israeli arts and culture scene has grown leaps and bounds over the past two decades, and Jerusalem is at the heart of it all. The young nation’s capital is home to some of the most celebrated art galleries and museums in the world, where world-renowned works of art are on permanent displays and exhibitions and tours continue to take place.

Art found in Jerusalem is both distinct and remarkable. It is a growing field that brings together many different elements, including a blend of modern and traditional designs as well as a mix of elements from western and eastern cultures. It also applies religious and cultural practices in sustainable and elegant ways…strengthening religious characters and bringing faith back to life.

In this blog post, we present to you the top four art galleries in Jerusalem that you need to add to your must-visit list. These galleries are world-famous and showcase the work of both established and emerging Israeli contemporary artists.

The Jerusalem Artists House

The Jerusalem Artists House is located in a historic building that once housed the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts. Today, the House is a lively exhibition centre that is home to the Association of Painters and Sculptures – Jerusalem artists.  It features unique and varied exhibits and artwork from both contemporary Israeli and international artists. It also offers a nice mix of exhibits from both emerging and veteran artists.

The House is best known for its support of young artists who are exhibiting their work for the first time. In 1992, it jumpstarted a special project called Nidbach. The project offers exposure to young artists who completed their studies in the last 5 years and have not been able to secure a solo exhibit. The House works with department heads at art schools across the country to find artist-teachers who will curate Nidbach that year.

JS Graphics Fine Art Gallery

JS Fine Art Galleries, owned by Jacques Soussana, one of Israeli’s most prominent connoisseurs and collectors, is another must-visit art gallery in Jerusalem.  Operating for over 30 years, it is home to the works of many Israeli contemporary artists, including Castel, Kohelet, Roitman and Vasarely. The artwork featured here is varied and stunning, ranging from original oils and water colours to lithographs to fine art posters.

Graphic art is widely featured in the exhibits at JS Fine Art Galleries. Soussana was one of the first collectors to put a spotlight onto graphic art (lithographs), as well as to be the first to publish legendary artist Nachum Gutman’s artwork.

Rosenbach Contemporary Gallery

Rosenbach Contemporary Gallery is one of the best places to view contemporary Israeli art. It was founded by Uri Rosenbach in September 2015, and has set as its goal to represent, advertise and promote the best quality of emerging artists. Though Tel Aviv is generally the center of the Israeli contemporary art scene, Jerusalem is still home to many artists and artist studios, though many of them are predominantly public non-for-profit exhibition spaces and galleries.

Menucha Page Fine Art Gallery

Menucha Page Fine Art Gallery is one of the best places to view some of the finest and most unique Judaica. Menucha Page is a Jerusalem-based Jewish female artist who focuses on combining the ancient themes and values of the Torah with contemporary artist techniques. Much of her artwork is based on the Hebrew alphabet, the ancient Torah, and other abstract Jewish ideas and is expressed through a variety of media, such as paintings, drawings, photography, woodwork, glasswork, and metalwork.