October 7, now an indelible date in the mind of the worldwide Jewish population, is the subject of an exhibit currently on display at the Jewish Museum at 1109 Fifth Avenue by 92nd Street.
Aptly named “October 7 2023,” the show features a series of 12 heartbreaking mixed-media drawings by artist Zoya Cherkassky, each one both a depiction of and a reaction to the atrocities that took place in Israel this past fall.
Although small in size—each is about 10 by 13 inches—the work on display is one of the most visually striking to have been born out of the historical event: the drawings will feel like a kick in the gut upon viewing.
“The Survivor” shows a barefoot girl enter a home quite literally burning up in flames while a family of four, including a newborn baby, is laying in a pool of their own blood, with hands tied behind their backs.
In “Bring Them Back Home,” 18 hostages—mostly teenage-looking and younger—simply stare at the viewer with the words “Bring them back home!” written in the background.
Cherkassky’s works are a pretty immediate reaction to the October 7 massacre: the artist developed them about a week after the attack, just as she left Israel for Berlin with her then 8-year-old daughter. Born in the Soviet Union, Cherkassky immigrated to Israel in 1991.
Already extended a handful of times, “October 7 2023” will officially wrap up on March 18.
In addition to the importance of its subject matter in and of itself, the show also functioned as an expansion of the Jewish Museum’s new programming slate, which seeks to highlight the war in the Middle East and its global effects, all under the purview of the institution’s new director, James Snyder.
Snag tickets to the museum right here
