THE GEOJE 12TH INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL

SOUTH KOREA

The Israeli Art Team

JURY ADI LASRI

ADI LASRI

International Art Judge, Cultural Entrepreneur, and Founder of the World Virtual Museum

Adi Lasri, based in Zichron Ya’akov, Israel, is an international art judge, cultural entrepreneur, artist, and founder and director of the World Virtual Museum — an international platform dedicated to promoting artists and fostering cultural exchange through art.

Founded in memory of Holocaust survivor and artist Elsa Shoshana Langer, the World Virtual Museum was established to provide artists from around the world with a platform to showcase their work, gain international exposure, and reach new audiences. Through innovative three-dimensional virtual exhibition spaces, the museum brings together artists from diverse backgrounds and promotes international exhibitions and cultural collaborations. To date, the museum has garnered approximately 45 million views, reflecting the global reach of its activities.

For the past four years, Lasri has led the Israeli art delegation at the Geoje International Art Festival in South Korea, where she also serves as an international jury member. In this role, she is committed to promoting Israeli artists, bringing their work to international audiences, and creating opportunities for them to establish themselves on the global art scene. She actively helps Israeli artists build international recognition, develop professional relationships with artists from around the world, and become part of a broader international artistic community.

Lasri’s work is guided by the conviction that art transcends borders, brings people together, and fosters mutual understanding among nations and cultures. Through her activities in Israel and internationally, she champions art as a universal language that connects people, creates opportunities for artists to gain visibility and recognition, and advances the values of cooperation, humanity, and peaceful coexistence.

Her vision and dedication to the international artistic community reflect her belief that art plays a vital role in building cultural bridges between countries and fostering dialogue among people and cultures.

ANAT BEN EZRA

INTRODUCTION/SHORT BIOGRAPHY: Sculpted and painted in a realistic, figurative, classical, modern
and abstract style.
Exhibitions: Moshe Castel Museum, Mamilla Boulevard Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital
Jerusalem, Caesarea National Park, Herzliya Art Center, permanent sculpture in Independence
Square in Netanya
Appears in art magazines abroad “Art”
Participant in the artists’ book “Isharal Art” sponsored by Steimatzky
She appeared in television shows on Channel 12.
In the past two years, she has participated in many group exhibitions in the United States and in
various galleries in Israel.
Participated in the project ” 70 lamps project under the auspices of Laniado Hospital, all proceeds
of which are donated to the construction of a new NICU.
Member of the Artisans Netanya Association.
Anat is a strong and powerful woman, with personal charm and inner feeling, full of giving and
helping others.
She loves nature, children, the good life and is full of joie de vivre.

EDUCATION: Avni Institute

AWARDS: Mayor’s Award, 2021, 2022, 2020

DESCRIPTION OF WORK:
A colorful abstract painting showing two hands of different skin tones reaching toward each other and
gently touching. The figures wear loose, robe-like sleeves, and the background is filled with expressive
brushstrokes in warm tones—orange, pink, gold, and white—creating a sense of energy, connection, and
unity. The composition emphasizes human connection and harmony across differences

PNINA NEDIVI

Pnina (Pepi) Nedivi was born in 1957 in Cluj, Romania. In 1962 she immigrated to Israel
with her family and has lived in Ashkelon ever since. She holds both Romanian and Israeli
citizenship.

Acrylic on Canvas

2026

INTRODUCTION/SHORT BIOGRAPHY:
I am an artist, creator, and facilitator of cultural content, working at the intersection of art, memory, and
community. Art has been a central part of my life since childhood, expressed through painting, sculpture, stained
glass, writing, and material-based practices.
Alongside my artistic work, I am active in the media field as a reporter, editor, and interviewer on community
television, and I host the program “Artist Figure.” I am also the creator of the film “Memories in the Shadow of the
Holocaust,” which is preserved in the Yad Vashem archives.

Technique: Mixed Media

“Hug of knowledge” Canvas 100X70 -2026

BELLA ROSENBAUM

INTRODUCTION/SHORT BIOGRAPHY:

Born in Romania in 1947, immigrated to Israel in 1964.

Bella began painting in 1976 at the Painters Association at the Helena Rubinstein House. Over time, Bella studied and worked alongside well-known artists such as Eliyahu Gat, Abramovitch, Rachel Shavit, Ruth Goldenberg, and others.

Later, she joined the “Creative Landscape Group” founded by Eliyahu Gat. As part of this group, Bella participated in numerous joint workshops in various landscapes, especially in Jerusalem, Zichron Yaakov, Rosh Pina, Safed, and more.

Her works reflect her love for the landscapes of Israel. This is expressed through warm colors that convey a passion for scenery, nature, movement, and joy of life. She is active in the Herzliya Artists Organization, in the “Apollonia” project in collaboration with the

Nature and Parks Authority, and in various artistic initiatives.

Bella curated and produced the exhibitions “Song of the Muses” and “March of Life” at the National Museum in Iasi, Romania.

SAMAH AWAD

INTRODUCTION/SHORT BIOGRAPHY:

Samah Awad is an artist, painter, and paper pulp sculptor from Daliyat al-Karmel, born in 1967. She is the
owner of Samah Art Studio and Gallery, and her work explores paper pulp sculpture, wall installations, and
painting with social and feminine themes.
EDUCATION (list most recent year first, name of school, location, city, country):
First Degree in Special Education, Haifa University, Haifa District, Haifa, Israel
Kuftan Halabi School, Daliyat el Carmel, Haifa District, Israel
AWARDS (list most recent year first, name of award, location, city, country):
2021, Special Person, The national union for the Arab Emirates, Egypt
2019, Person of the year, The Najm Organization, Israel

Feminine Power, 90×70 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2019

The painting is part of a series of works titled “Decorating the Message,” which explores the power of
women.

The women in the painting represent the inner world of a woman—her emotions, thoughts, and
strengths—as well as the similarities and differences among women as a group all over the world.

When a woman’s inner self is nurtured and strengthened, she can reach anywhere—this is why the
women’s hands in the painting are long and prominent.

When women unite as a group, their power grows stronger and becomes especially visible. From this unity,
they are able to create real change in their society.

The women are not identified and do not represent any specific society, because they can exist in any
society—Arab, Western, and anywhere in the world—in the form of organizations and groups striving for
social change.

The small ornaments behind them symbolize the boundaries and obstacles that exist in every society.
Through shared female strength, it is possible to step over these boundaries, dissolve them—and this is
where change begins.

BATIA SENFT-GARTY

Batia Senft, painter aquarellist
Dual nationality, Israel and the Netherlands
Born in Plovdiv Bulgaria 1947
Living in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Emigrated from Bulgaria to Israel with her parent’s at a young age, has been brought up
and educated in Israel.
Went to study abroad to the Netherlands, University of Leiden.
Holds an Msc degree in Biology, University of Leiden the Netherlands.
Worked as a Biology lecturer at the Erasmiaans Gymnasium Rotterdam the Netherlands.
Now retired.
Batia has been painting in her free time, now painting almost daily, and very active
internationally.
Participating and publishing her work in numerous international artists groups, fora, and
on line platforms.

Title, ‘Art makes culture fly’
Painted 2026
Mixed media, on aquarel paper, watercolors, watercolor pencil, oil and wax pastel, ink.
Size 56×78 cm

RACHEL FRANK

Rachel Frank (Jerusalem, 1957), resides in Kfar Saba, creates in Tel Aviv and Kfar Saba, is a
multidisciplinary artist. Her work exists between figuration and abstraction. Inspired by nature,
personal experience, and social interaction, she uses vibrant color as an emotional language to
connect with viewers. Her recent work embraces spontaneity and new materials, including metal
wires, reflecting an evolving, organic creative process. She has shown in three solo exhibitions
and numerous group’s show across Israel, Russia, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria.
Rachel holds an M.A. degree in Education. Over the years, she has studied with a wide variety of
teachers in the fields of painting and sculpture. She has presented two solo exhibitions in Israel,
and has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Israel and abroad: in Russia, Poland,
Romania, and Bulgaria.

Artwork: Mixed Media
Name East Meets East:
(A Vision of Shared Harmony)
Technique:
Acrylic and Collage on Canvas
Size: 50 x 80 cm
(Diptych, two panels of 50 x 40 cm each)
Year: 2026

Description:
East Meets East: brings together visual languages drawn from Middle Eastern and Korean
cultural traditions, creating a poetic meditation on connection across difference. By
pairing the protective Hamsa with the resilient Mugunghwa flower, and invoking the
Taegeuk and Trigrams, Rachel Frank constructs a symbolic field in which heritage,
spirituality, and shared humanity converge.
Words such as peace, love, and creativity appear across the diptych in Hebrew, Arabic,
Korean, and English, suggesting that language itself can become a site of encounter
rather than division. Rather than flattening cultural distinctiveness, the work proposes

harmony as a delicate, active balance, sustained through iconic symbols, memory,
mutual recognition, and the imaginative power of art.

MICHELLE MICHAELA ZEITOUNI

INTRODUCTION
I was born on November 18, 1959 in Casablanca, Morocco.
My paintings are exhibited in Museums of Judaism and Hotels around the
world.
‏My technique is painting on Canvas with Acrylic and other materials
which allow me to capture the subjects and emotions.

“The Strength in our hands”

Painting Size: 100×100 cm

Technique and year painted :
Acrylic Painting with Medium and modelling paste..
Used modelling paste and acrylic to make the texture of the clothes.

Painted in January 2026

“The Strength in our hands”
This artwork portrays three women from diverse cultures, united by a shared purpose: protecting
our world. In alignment with the theme “Joining Hands,” I placed a deliberate focus on the hands,
slightly enlarging them to emphasize the strength and security found in unity. As they gently yet
firmly cradle the globe together, they remind us that the world is in our hands. Our future
depends on our ability to join forces and live in harmony as one human family.

HAGIT AVIRAM

Hagit was born in Israel . She has been painting and working in art since her
youth.
Hagit graduated high school with a degree in architecture at “ort school” .
She completed her post -secondary studies at Vizo college in the teaching arts
program and graduated as a technical art teacher.
During her years of artistic activity, Hagit studied private training and developed a
unique painting and sculpting techniques for herself.
Hagit paints in acrylic colors and combines the realistic and the abstract, painting
mainly female figures and also sculpts women’s reliefs in papier – mache.
Hagit believes that through art it is possible to connect people even if their
opinions are different and opposing.
Her artworks are displayed in exhibitions and galleries throughout Israel, some of
them group exhibitions and some of them solo exhibitions.

Papier- mache is a sculptural material that I make my own.
The material is made of toilet paper soaked in water and then crumbled
and squeezed.
The material mixed with plastic glue and wallpaper glue 1/1, to form
clay that dries in contact with the air.

“Together forever” papier–mache

and painting . docx

“Together forever”
Medium- papier-mache and acrylic on linen
Size- 70/80 cm
The painting done in december 2025

Together for ever means to me ,it
constitutes cooperation and life
between two people /two peoples,
The idea and inspiration of the work were taken from the fact
that eyes speak, for me, and you can conveying message
through them.
The work in papier-mache is cartied out as a relief that gives
volume to the figure, and creates an interaction with the
viewer.

ORLY MERGUEI

INTRODUCTION/SHORT BIOGRAPHY:
An Israeli social worker by education, social entrepreneur, and artist by experience, Orly has focused her
life on promoting the well-being of underprivileged women, individuals with special needs, and teenage
children who are often neglected in the process of empowerment. Orly has taken the approach of
‘Awareness through Art’ to bring lasting changes in communities and sustainable economic independence.
For over 30 years, she has been experimenting with creative Recycling and Upcycling ‘trash’ into artwork
and functional artifacts. She has worked and lived in India, Israel and the USA. Her body of work progresses
in the direction of the unity of materials and skills. Waste papers and textile-oriented materials are married
with stereotypical feminine skills such as needlework coiling, layering, crochet, and weaving. She was the co
founder of Wellpaper and Well Cafe and sustainable social enterprise.

“Projected Selves”

This mixed media piece, measuring 80 x 42 cm, is crafted from clay, video cassettes, and
newspapers. It explores the concept of identity as a composite structure, suggesting that
who we are is fundamentally built from the stories and experiences of those around us.

82/40 cm
Mix media
2024.

TATYANA BERESTOV

BIOGRAPHY: Tatyana Berestov (Voronin) was born in , in the city of Kharkov, Ukraine. Graduated from the Ukrainian Academy of Design and Arts, (Kharkov) Worked in interior design and on the creation of monumental and decorative works. In 1990, she made aliyah to Israel. She worked as a designer in a company. “Contact Caesarea” Worked in book graphics as an illustrator. In 1990 she joined the Union of Artists of Israel. I work in different techniques: oil, acrylic, watercolor, graphics. Participated in exhibitions in Israel, Germany, Montenegro, France. Participated in international plein air paintings in Montenegro and France.

“Shared Harmony” 
oil on canvas 
 50 /70 cm
2020

This painting reflects the power of culture and art to connect people. The portrait of a musician symbolizes creativity and personal expression, while the guitar represents music as a universal language that brings hearts together. In the background, two figures holding hands embody human connection, trust, and unity. The eye and abstract forms suggest emotion, memory, and shared experience. Together, these elements express the idea that art and culture help people see one another, understand one another, and ultimately hold hands across differences

DANIELLE SCHWARTZBERG

ARTISTIC STATEMENT
I am a multidisciplinary painter and researcher focused on the intersection of personal narrative, cultural
anthropology, and physiological phenomena. My practice bridges traditional painting techniques with digital
experimentation, aiming to visualize “unspoken” experiences – from the neurological complexities of chronic
pain to the evolution of mythological archetypes. A graduate of Shenkar College with honors, I combine formal
design principles with an intensive, self-directed study of classical and contemporary art techniques.

The Primal Symbiosis
This work portrays cooperation as a fundamental existential force, manifesting through a symbiosis where
human figures merge into nature. By exploring these points of contact, the piece delves into the evolution of
belief and our shared spiritual origins in ancient Animism. This interconnectedness is reflected materially:
avoiding raw primary colors in favor of complex color mixes and specialized mediums to create a dynamic
interplay of reflectivity and texture that transforms as the viewing angle changes and the light shifts.

This work explores the evolution of human belief and symbiosis with the natural world, bridging ancient
archetypes with the present. Through sophisticated layering of acrylics and textures, it creates a visual
dialogue between historical spirituality and visceral emotional states.

VARDA BREGER

In my paintings and poems (in Hebrew and English), I explore ecology and social life on our vulnerable
planet.
I use mixed media, transparent, and opaque, mainly on paper.
Streams of spontaneous running paint cages a blurred deer, rudely trodden upon by my shoe or a car tire.
An elephant with a broken task emerges from chaos. An abused nude body of a woman, her head hidden
with a fig leaf, and a knife and fork beside her to remind us of murder in the family. The threat of nuclear
weapons is always on my mind (MSc. Chemistry, Tel Aviv University & BSc. Israel Technion ). The atrocities
and the cruel war in my own country, in Ukraine, and in other places drive me to act for Peace with my
humble tools.

I believe that all the planet’s inhabitants are part of a chain, linked together, and We Humans must find the
way to keep the future of our unique home, in peace between us, and all the life above it, the exceptional
planet of life.

From GENESIS TO EINSTEIN AND BEYOND
100X70CM, MIXED MEDIA ON PAPER.2026
From GENESIS TO EINSTEIN & BYOND
People of our unique planet, descendants of one origin,
“Genesis”, whatever it is. In the painting, you can see the scene
of EVE gaining knowledge after eating from the tree. We made
huge progress TOGETHER, in science, literature, music, and art.

Imagine what we can do in the future with the key to the
EINSTEIN EQUATION, DNA, AND AI TECHNOLOGY, all done by
LINKED HANDS and LOGIC to keep and share the treasures of our
vulnerable planet in PEACE.

RACHEL TUCKER SHYNES

Rachel Tucker-Shynes   was born in 1952 the city of Tel Aviv Israel
in and is the fifth-generation descendant of its founders. She is a
multi-disciplinary plastic artist, avid painter, sculptor, and poet. Rachel
works with a variety of techniques and materials, creating paintings,
sketches, stained glass art, and sculptures that span from figurative
to naïve to abstract styles
The materials, colors, shapes, her words and the way she puts them
together invite a glimpse into Rachel’s intriguing and personal world.
The characters in her paintings and poems come alive, evoking
senses of sight, touch, and movement, giving space to a mature,
colorful voice. Rachel’s unique perspective on nature and
relationships prompts us to pause for a moment in our daily rat race
and take a look inside.

A Dance of Togetherness – Acrylic 50/70 – Finger Painting

In this piece, human touch is not just the subject it is the instrument. By choosing to
paint with my fingers, by passing the brush, the canvas becomes a direct extension of
the soul. Every stroke is a heartbeat, and every figure is a testament to the power of
connection.
Fingers as a Bridge Between Cultures
In the world of art, finger painting returns us to our most ancient roots reminiscent of
cave paintings and the primal human need to tell a story. Here, the story is one of
partnership: or a shared walk. The vibrant colors of their garments and the
surrounding landscape create a sense of a colorful cultural celebration.
The white houses in the background and the cascading greenery create a “Global
Village” feel a place where there is room for everyone to live together in harmony
and joy.

• The Human Texture: The use of fingers creates thick, dynamic layers (Impasto),
  giving the painting a three-dimensional life. This serves as a perfect metaphor for
  culture: it is not flat; it is a living, breathing entity built from layers of tradition
  and modernity meeting at the point of contact.
  This painting illustrates how art serves as a universal language. When two figures
  walk together through such a vivid landscape, words become unnecessary. The
  colors—warm reds, refreshing greens, and glowing yellows—speak of optimism and
  the ability of art to heal and bring worlds together
  Finger painting is the ultimate expression of ‘Hand in Hand’: the hand that touches the
  paint is the same hand extended to another. It reminds us that we all share the same
  earth and the same human need for beauty and warmth.”

RACHEL KLEIN ELAZARI

INTRODUCTION/SHORT BIOGRAPHY:
I was born to Holocaust survivor parents, who lost their immediate family in World War II,
immigrated to Israel, and started a second family. The breakup, the self-pity, the unspoken
disaster, undoubtedly influence the atmosphere of the first paintings. In the years after the
birth of my two sons, the style of painting opens up and frees up, taking on lighter, but no
less deep shades. I draw the virtual characters nesting in my soul. The real characters that
surround me and influence me in the changing present. They are all there, the figure and
the soul, the connection between the physical and spiritual worlds.

“Stone man”

Mixed media, 100*60cm, 2015

CLICK ON THE PHOTO:

JOIN HANDS TOGETHER