"Nekoudat Or": A Burst of Light and Creativity in Tel Aviv

Mika Rotlevy – Illustrated Light Boxes

To celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, twenty young Israeli designers are taking over the legendary Tahiya 14 complex in Tel Aviv to offer the public an extraordinary luminous experience from December 16 to 17. The pop-up exhibition Nekoudat Or, organized by the association “Latsèt Mehakufsa” – long recognized for its steadfast support of emerging Israeli creation – presents an interactive journey in which light becomes material, language and emotion.

Tahiya, the historic building in Jaffa that has gradually become a home for artisans, workshops and independent creators, will be transformed into a sensory laboratory. Visitors will discover installations blending video art, live projections, illuminated sculptures, reinvented materials, 3D printing and traditional craft techniques. Through these interventions, the creators of Nekoudat Or explore the many faces of light: organic, spiritual, technological and metaphorical.

At the heart of this edition, light becomes a bridge between heritage and innovation. Coral-inspired luminaires stand alongside a stained-glass reinterpretation of the story of the Burning Bush, while audiovisual works convert sound waves into flashes of light. Each installation enters into a dialogue with the singular space of Tahiya 14 — a place shaped by decades of artisanal production and now propelled toward a renewed creative future.

On December 16, a special sale of hanukkiot designed by emerging Israeli designers will complement the experience. Their selection offers a remarkable glimpse into the local design scene, where modernity, craftsmanship and poetry converge.

Serpent Lamp. Studio Knob

For Liron Hershkovitz, director of the association “Latsèt Mehakufsa,” the event carries a particular resonance in the current climate. "In this challenging period, when everyone needs a bit of light, we are committed to continuing to create, to support our graduates and to provide them with platforms for expression. We are grateful to the Reality Group for the opportunity to contribute to the exceptional energy of Tahiya 14."

Hen Taoz and Ziva Epstein – Origa Lamp

Among the most singular installations, Yuli Maroz presents a light sculpted from melon rind, a material she transforms until it acquires a sensual transparency. The natural grain of the surface is revealed as the light passes through it, diffusing an organic, almost meditative warmth. Designer Oriel Ben Zrihem, meanwhile, unveils luminaires inspired by traditional brush-making techniques, while Naama Agassi merges faux-marble aesthetics with contemporary processes.

Mika Rotlevy, a graduate of Shenkar’s visual communication department, reveals illustrated light boxes that offer a poetic meditation on the memory of the departed and the way their image evolves with time.

Hotel Lamp. Yuli Maroz

The entire program, curated by Nitzan Orlovsky, reflects the vitality of Israel’s young design scene and its ability to reinvent tradition while engaging with pressing contemporary issues.

At a time when light stands as a symbol of hope, resilience and creation, the exhibition offers a suspended moment, a breath — and a shining reminder that culture continues to connect, invent and illuminate, even in the darkest times.

Caroline Haïat