In the south of Israel’s coastal city of Tel Aviv, a seedy neighborhood notorious for prostitution, drugs, and violence is blooming into one of the hippest places in the country.
Kiryat Hamelacha has been quickly growing over the past four years thanks to the determination and hard work of Revital Ben-Asher Peretz, an art advisor to Tel Aviv’s mayor who has set for herself the goal of transforming the district from an unattractive locale to a lively artistic hub.
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Art on the facade of a building in Kiryat Hamelacha, Tel Aviv, Israel
(Photo: Caroline Haïat/i24NEWS)
i24NEWS spoke with those who share roles in this small urban revolution, living together in a private quarter. More than 420 artists of all genres, from creators to dancers, musicians, choreographers, and theater actors live alongside craftsmen, locksmiths, carpenters, printers, and seamstresses. About 30 galleries have also taken up residence there, among them some of Israel’s most recognized.
The private district, which covers some 39,000 feet, is filled with graffiti, colors, and lights.
About two weeks ago, a modern and colorful climbing center called “The Block” opened its doors there. Many cafes and restaurants also began to attract the curious, such as “Joz ve Loz,” where the menu bears no prices, as those who dine there give what they want at the end of their meals.
An ambitious project
“When I discovered this part of the city, I had a real crush and immediately started recruiting artists through word of mouth and social networks,” Peretz told i24NEWS. “My mission was to make this neighborhood, which has serious security problems, the Garden of Eden for artists in Tel Aviv and, more broadly, in Israel.”
Kiryat Hamelacha was erected in 1959, in a brutalist architectural style intended for small businesses and factories. At them time, no one imagined that it would be, a popular landmark for artists.
Revital leads a hard fight, day and night, to obtain the necessary funding from the city to restore the image of the district, while convincing others of its potential to become a real breeding ground for art, where culture, craft, and commerce are combined like nowhere else.
“I constantly fight for the artists of Tel Aviv to stay in Israel and not go into exile in Europe,” Peretz continued.
“In my eyes, it was essential to create a place for them where they can give free rein to their creativity. Artists are key and influential people in the cities because they generate gentrification and the development of neighborhoods. If we lose them, we not only lose the essence of Tel Aviv, but also a lot of money.”
Plurality of art
At a WeWork coworking space, 16 artists work on different forms of media: Layers, sculptures, photos, felt-tip drawings on transparent paper, or paintings from tree branches – techniques that are brought together within the same complex. The artists also share privileged moments together in the dining room, which they have renamed “Cafe de Flore,” where they discuss politics and art to bring inspiration to fruition.
Originally from Argentina but having lived in Israel for decades, Suzi Shumowitz is an outstanding artist who creates collages, photos, and paintings surrounding a single theme: The invisible.
“I apply myself to bringing out what we do not see, what is behind the scenes because that is the most important. I like to highlight the beauty and aesthetics of things that aren’t necessarily attractive at first sight,” she told i24NEWS.
The WeWork artists have signed a charter with the town hall which obliges them to work in the studio eight hours a day, six days a week. They are not authorized to teach, rent their location, or sell their works on-site. In a sector where it is difficult to earn a living, Peretz works for creators by being the head of promotional policy of Keren Plumas, an organization that promotes the rights of artists in Israel.
Ceramics in the spotlight
Among the key attractions in Kiryat Hamelacha is the Benyamini Ceramics Center, run by Marcelle Klein for more than 11 years. It includes studios, art galleries, and a library where the archives of Israeli ceramics are referenced.
"The purpose of this lively space is to promote activities around ceramics,” Klein told i24NEWS.
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Artwork at a studio in Kiryat Hamelacha, Tel Aviv, Israel
(Photo: Caroline Haïat/i24NEWS)
“We have a ceramics school, where we give courses for both beginners and more advanced people, and we also offer a three-year course with the obtaining of a certificate. Young artists still in their studies have the opportunity to rent a studio for a year and can thus build up an address book.”
Conferences and workshops by local and international artists are also regularly organized there.
Eclectic concerts
The Annette-Celine studio, directed by Idit Magal, delights lovers of shows, concerts, and festivals. Renovated during the Covid pandemic, this modern room welcomes almost every evening with up to 120 spectators.
"This place is dedicated to the many musical groups that come to perform there. We offer jazz, classical, or ethnic music concerts to the public,” Magal explained to i24NEWS.
On the same street, the Hameretz 2 theater offers various, experimental plays, some of which are only played once, while on weekends, the place turns into a club at night for young people. Asaf Hameiri, producer and theater manager, ensures that a special atmosphere reigns in the multidisciplinary room – a real springboard for talented actors at the start of their careers.
"We set up this theater about a year and a half ago in order to offer local productions. I immediately liked the style of this district, which suited me perfectly and which stuck to the spirit of our art. In Kiryat Hamelacha, there is a real nightlife, and people love the concept of single performance rooms that then disappear,” Hameiri said.
Cultural center
In October 2021, Peretz opened the community center “Ta tarbout Kiryat Hamelacha,” which serves as a hub for artists as well as a tourism office, being attached to the Department of Culture of the Tel Aviv Municipality.
Employee of the center Lee Barbu explained to i24NEWS that it hosts events, workshops for schools, and conferences.
"In recent years, Kiryat Hamelacha has become a staple of the Israeli cultural scene. We are in contact with the many artists who pass through this neighborhood and they can use our premises to organize photo shoots or interviews, for example. Finally, we list all the information on the events not to be missed and constitute a kind of cultural agenda,” she said.
No one has the right to live or build in the private area that is reserved for masters of the art. Only a few rare offices are rented on the ground floors of the buildings. At the request of Peretz, the roads were also expropriated.
Within two weeks, renovation work worth over $24 million will modernize the urban planning of the district in small touches: Trees, benches, and pedestrian areas will be added to make it even more attractive.
"I don't want this place to become too touristy… however, I want it to retain its authenticity and not be too distorted by large-scale renovations,” Peretz said.
Never lacking in initiatives, Peretz is currently working in parallel on a pilot project with the town hall, to create its television channel with programs devoted to the city of Tel Aviv.