Jewish Link - Highlighting the European Parliament Exhibition

Thank you to Arnie Draiman for a beautifully written article featured in the popular Jewish Link magazine following my recent exhibition at the European Parliament in Brussels. Here is an excerpt from the article:

How does an Israeli artist wind up presenting a show at the European Union Parliament in Brussels? A Swedish member of the European Parliament, David Lega, was staying across the street from Stauber’s gallery in the Mamilla area of Jerusalem, and was captivated by what he saw in the window. Working together with the Israeli ambassador to the EU, Haim Regev, he set about to have Stauber’s work on display in the main hall. As fate would have it, this was a few years ago and due to COVID, the exhibition was canceled. In 2022, however, the idea was revived, and the date was set for December 2023, with such fortuitous timing as to be able to present a beautiful and meaningful side of Israel, despite the mass media headlines of war and strife. “It has become more important than ever to show the world that war doesn’t define Israel, rather the land and beauty do, that Israel is truly a ‘Land of Life’ [as the exhibit is called],” said Stauber.

Most people seeing the exhibit are very supportive, with some being less so even though they comment that they like the work. Stauber tells of the day that he saw some members of the EU Parliament who were fighting for Israel but were clearly tired and drained, but when they saw the exhibit, they lit up and could see the beauty of the land—it was refreshing to them, and they expressed much gratitude. “I was not expecting to hear that,” he said. Lega, the Swedish member of the European Parliament, said: “I am honored to host Yehoshua Aryeh’s exhibition in the European Parliament. To show Israel in another perspective in Europe and not only the one of conflict and wars has been important for me for a long time. And now indeed it is more timely than ever.”

After the EU parliament, the exhibit is scheduled to be shown in the Jewish Center in Brussels and then in other cities in Europe and elsewhere.

Read the full article here -> Israeli Artist Exhibits Landscapes of Israel in EU Parliament