The Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery at Tel Aviv University presents Something to Hold On To, a new exhibition that examines the personal and artistic relationships that shaped the work of six Israeli artists, through archival materials presented to the public for the first time.
Drawing from letters, photographs, sketchbooks, and personal diaries, the exhibition offers a window into the differences between public image and private life. It focuses on the relationships between Hedwig Grossman and Rudi Lehmann, Siona Shimshi and Jachin Hirsch, and Menashe Kadishman and Igael Tumarkin, highlighting exchanges of ideas, mutual influence, and intergenerational dialogue.
The archival materials explore the interplay between love and artistic creation while revealing different dynamics of dominance and authority within each relationship. Together, they offer new perspectives on familiar bodies of work, including Hirsch's decades-long documentation of Shimshi while she slept and Grossman's continued depictions of her relationship with Lehmann in soft, naïve lines later in life.
Through these personal documents, the exhibition invites visitors to view the artists as part of a network of human relationships and to reflect on the emotional and creative connections that shaped their work.
The Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery
The Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery, founded in 1988, was established by Prof. Mordechai Omer (1941–2011), professor in the Department of Art History, who directed the gallery for many years. The gallery is open to the general public and serves as a bridge between the academy, the art community, and the public at large. The exhibitions it presents offer interpretive readings of artistic and research practices, alongside the display of archives, collections, and creative work processes. Through its diverse activities, the gallery is not only an exhibition venue but also a space for study and action, promoting interdisciplinarity by integrating art exhibitions, research, and innovative pedagogy. Student projects from the Faculty of the Arts are presented regularly, and the gallery also serves as a platform for collaborations with a wide range of cultural bodies and hosts community initiatives both within and beyond the university. Through activities that connect the past and the future, the Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery seeks to advance art and culture in Israel and to establish a robust social infrastructure grounded in professional, critical, and inclusive discourse.
Exhibition Details
Something to Hold On To
Featuring the work and archives of:
- Hedwig Grossman & Rudi Lehmann
- Siona Shimshi & Jachin Hirsch
- Menashe Kadishman & Igael Tumarkin
Curated by: Roni Kochavi and Hila Cooper
Exhibition dates: June 10 – December 15, 2026
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This article was written in collaboration with Tel Aviv University.