Rahat: Art as a Tool for Reflecting on Violence in Arab Society

The Cry of Silence. Obaida Azem

127 victims since the beginning of 2026. This is the staggering toll facing Israel’s Arab community, a figure that continues to rise almost daily. Violence has reached alarming levels across all sectors of society, and authorities are still struggling to bring it under control. To raise awareness and denounce this growing crisis, Rahat, Israel’s largest Bedouin city, has decided to take action. Through the inauguration of the powerful exhibition “The Cry of Silence,” which brought together artists, the organizers are shining a spotlight on a scourge that has become a dark stain on a society where honor killings and violence continue to claim lives.

On Sunday, June 14, a dialogue session addressing issues related to violence and its impact on individuals and society will take place at the Rahat Art Gallery, where The Cry of Silence is currently being exhibited. The event will provide an opportunity to discuss the psychological and social consequences of violence on younger generations, as well as the obstacles it creates for Arab society as a whole. The discussion will be held from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Unveiled on June 6 in Rahat in the presence of visitors from across the country, The Cry of Silence features works by 26 Arab, Bedouin, and Israeli artists, including Anisa Ashkar, Ogin Amin, Basma Abu Hoti, Buthaina Halabi, Bashir Abu Rabie, Haneen Zuhair Matar, and Khader Shashah.

“This is a call for a necessary and urgent dialogue. The event was born out of a refusal to remain silent and a determination to confront this open wound. The art presented here goes beyond aesthetics. It bears witness, protests, and calls for collective responsibility. The exhibition does not claim to provide simple answers but rather seeks to inspire reflection and provoke a genuine awakening to the reality surrounding us,” explains exhibition curator Adi Yekutiely.

Through paintings, photography, video works, installations, and a variety of visual languages, the artists present a broad spectrum of expressions, ranging from overt physical violence to psychological and social violence.

The exhibition invites visitors to take a different, deeper, and more lasting look at pain, fear, and loss. The works reveal the human vulnerability created by persistent violence, which fosters profound anxiety, a loss of trust, and a diminished sense of security—even in places that are supposed to feel safe.

Artist Shadi Toafra presents a particularly striking work. Following the murder of a woman that deeply affected him, he embarked on a process of deconstruction and reconstruction—a journey he views as the only possible way to confront such trauma. He stitched pieces of fabric onto the original painting to highlight the emotional layers accumulated within it: pain, fear, childhood memories, and attempts at healing. The resulting inner map is both fragile and emotional, yet also destined to endure beyond grief.

Fadi Ziadna

“In recent years, Rahat has experienced a true cultural revolution. The opening of the city’s first art gallery, along with the festivals and numerous cultural events that have emerged, and the connection between art, community, and local identity—all of these help introduce the wider public to the richness of Bedouin society. It is precisely in this spirit that we felt it was essential to explore one of the most sensitive issues through art,” says Fadi Ziadna, Director of Rahat’s Department of Culture and Arts.

Among the exhibition’s most moving installations is a memorial piece displaying the names of victims from within Arab society. It serves as a place of remembrance and reflection, while also calling for an end to the cycle of violence and highlighting the heavy price paid by families and entire communities.

Cry of Silence

The Rahat Art Gallery, supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Rahat Community Center, and the Municipality of Rahat, is part of a broader local cultural movement. Its mission is to strengthen art, culture, and local creativity, encourage emerging artists and women artists from the region, and build bridges between traditional Bedouin culture and contemporary art. The gallery aspires to serve as a vibrant cultural hub for the residents of Rahat and the wider Negev region.

This striking and fascinating project can be viewed until July 15 at the Rahat Art Gallery in the Negev.

Caroline Haïat