Ukrainian women in Israel: "Bodies at the Edge"

From 11–21 November 2026, as part of the 13th International Photography Festival "PHOTO IS:RAEL," the Tel Aviv Cinematheque is hosting an exhibition titled "Bodies at the Edge: Mapping Ukrainian Gender Migration in Israel." The exhibition explores women's experiences of migration, war, violence, memory, and identity.

The participating artists are Yael Asayag, Sasha Vares, Vera Gailis, Margarita Hertzman, Ira Kremer, Mariia Likhtman, Marianna Nazaruk, Olha Panchenko, Polina Veller, and Saint.ioan (Yana Volkova).

These ten female photographers, all born in Ukraine, arrived in Israel at different times, yet their stories collectively reveal the complex realities of migration and war.

The experiences of the exhibition's two curators — Vera Gailis and Yael Asayag — are particularly illustrative. Vera Gailis immigrated to Israel from Odesa in 2013; her apartment there was later damaged by Russian shelling.

Yael Asayag was completing her studies at an art academy in Lithuania when the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began. She was unable to return home, as her house in the Zaporizhzhia region ended up in Russian-occupied territory. Yael has since continued her life in Israel.

Together with women who fled the war and now reside in Israel under various legal statuses, the participants in this photo exhibition present stories rarely heard in the public sphere — stories of women who left Ukraine, yet from whom Ukraine has never departed. Through photography, they seek to make their voices heard and share their own personal narratives.

The exhibition is supported by the nonprofit organization Israeli Friends of Ukraine.

The international photography festival PHOTO IS:RAEL is Israel's largest photography event, attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually. Its program features approximately 50 exhibitions showcasing the work of over 200 photographers from Israel and around the world.

The exhibition "Bodies at the Edge" continues the work of Platform 202, an initiative founded by Vera Gailis and Yael Asayag. This cultural platform reshapes and critically re-examines the category of "Ukrainian art in Israel," advocates for public displays in major art venues, and supports artists born in Ukraine.

"The exhibition organizers view the situation of women from Ukraine as a particularly pressing issue. Many arrived fleeing the war without their husbands; a large number are on their own, and some even face violence. Our goal is to showcase not only the creative work of women from Ukraine but also the challenges they face," Vera Gailis stated to the UJE portal.

Olha Panchenko told our portal that she left Kyiv with her future husband on 24 February 2022: "There are no Jewish people in my own family. I came to Israel with my husband because his family is here. I returned to Ukraine many times, but I left for Israel because of the full-scale war."

As a teenager, Olha developed a passion for film photography in Kyiv, thanks to a gift from her father. She continues to practice this classic photographic method in Israel today.

"Through my work, I explore the relationship between the body and current events — how the body reacts to stress, immigration, and difficult life events," says Olha.

She shared how uncomfortable it is that some Israelis perceive everyone from the former USSR as "Russian." "It's very triggering when people ask, 'Where in Russia are you from?' — and we have to clarify that we aren't from Russia."

"It is crucial to distinguish ourselves and emphasize that we are something else. If it's a Ukrainian exhibition, Russian shouldn't be spoken there — not even with journalists. Speaking Russian only reinforces the stereotypes held by those very Israelis. Now, more than ever, as we express ourselves through our work, we must emphasize that this is Ukrainian art — Ukrainian-Israeli, perhaps, — but certainly not Russian," Olha Panchenko emphasized.

Information for Exhibition Visitors:
Venue: Tel Aviv Cinematheque
Dates: 11–21 November 2026

Opening Hours:
Sunday–Thursday 10:00–22:00;
Friday 10:00–16:00;
Saturday 10:00–22:00.
Admission to the exhibitions is free.

On 17 November 2026 at 18:00, a "Gallery Talk" — an open meeting with the participating artists — will take place. The artists will discuss their work, personal stories, and artistic practices. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the artworks and hear the stories behind their creation directly from the artists themselves.

Text: Shimon Briman (Israel).
Photos provided by Vera Gailis.