At one time, Tel Aviv was the center of the modern Israeli art scene but that’s changed in recent years as Jerusalem has become the home for a great many of Israel’s finest artists. Art representing Judaism, Israel and other motifs can be found at multiple Jewish Israeli Art Gallery sites located throughout Jerusalem.

Jerusalem Art

Jerusalem is recognized as the historical and religious capital of Judaism. It is also developing into Israel’s cultural capital based on the artists who have made it their home over the last century.

A history of early Jerusalem art:

Bezalel

Even as the first pioneers were coming to Israel in the early 20^th century with a vision of working the land and establishing a Jewish homeland, Jewish artists were also considering ways to involve art in that effort. One of the first initiatives toward that goal was the Bezalel Academy of Fine Arts. Bezalel was established  in 1906 by Jewish-Lithuanian artist Boris Schatz. Schatz’s goal was to bring traditional European styles and methods to Palestine and create a place where Jewish artists could express themselves freely.

Bezalel was the first art school of the Yishuv – Palestine’s Jewish settlement. Over the years it has developed as one of Israel’s premier academic institution for art, design and architecture though for many years it followed the strict rules and traditions of Europe’s art movements.

Migdal David

Migdal David evolved as new Jewish artists – many of them born in Palestine – started to explore their own artistic paths. They found the Bezalel School to be too constricting and developed the Midgal David – Tower of David – movement. Migdal David artists strived to establish a new style that would connect with the “new Jew” in the Land. They said that in searching for these roots their art was expressing more historically Middle Eastern motifs and traditions.

Bauhaus

Bauhaus architecture sprang up in the 1930s when followers of the German Bauhaus school began to build Bauhaus structures in Palestine. Most of the Bauhaus buildings were built in Tel Aviv but there are many Bauhaus buildings in Jerusalem that still stand to this day. The Bauhaus school didn’t influence only architecture  — its modern styles and ideas also impacted on other types of artistic expressions. Bauhaus is known for embracing simplicity and functionality through the use of innovative materials and sleek, geometric shapes.

Cnaanite

In the 1940s the Cnaanite Movement emerged. It was both a political and an artistic movement where Jewish artists could express their national identity through their art. Yithak Danzinger was a leader in Cnaanism and he strove to infuse modern Zionism, socialism and motifs of ancient Israel’s culture and motifs.

Additional art movements evolved as Israel settled into Statehood and nationhood. Exhibitions of many of these Jerusalem Artworks from the early 1900s till the 21^st century can be viewed in some of the best exhibitions in Jerusalem. Menucha Page’ Jewish Israeli art gallery of Nachlaot captures this spirit in only featuring her own unique, original pieces.