Yair Hovav | Window

Hall Talk 11

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Over a decade ago, photographer Yair Hovav chose to turn his attention to prisons in Israel. He offers a lucid gaze at the corridors and prisoner’s rooms, the dining, work, and recreation areas – a gaze clear of any judgement or criticism. Human presence imbues the photographs, which hold tenderness and difficulty, scarcity and beauty. These serve as a window to a space that is not accessible to us. The choice to linger on the intimate and trivial details reflects moments that tell us something about the prisoners – and about us as a society.

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Here, the works are exhibited as a series for the first time. Hovav’s perspective, which is characterized by compassion and great human sensitivity, seems more relevant than ever today, when the Israeli space is in a constant state of turmoil.

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Curator: Matan Ben-Tolila