Nir Adoni - Anchoring

Anchoring | 2019 | Industrial paint | 47x2 meter | Photography: Yael Tsur

A large-scale mural along the Herbert Samuel dock, Tel Aviv. Created in 2018

The Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality called for public art proposals on buildings slated for demolition that address the city’s past and present. I chose a beachfront wall and began developing a work centered on the Ma’apilim—Jews who immigrated illegally to Palestine by sea during the British Mandate—focusing on boats arriving at Tel Aviv before WWII.

Anchoring is part of my broader exploration of global shipping, drawn to the sheer power and presence of freight ships. Layered with images of the Ma’apilim, it echoes the refugee crises we witness today, especially across the Mediterranean.

As a Tel Aviv-based artist for nearly a decade, I sought to root this history in place. During research, I discovered the story of the Ma’apilim ship Parita, which landed near Frishman Beach in 1939. Refugees from across Europe were aboard. Betar youth ran it aground to avoid British seizure. The ship later became a local legend before being destroyed.

Anchoring | 2019 | Industrial paint | 47x2 meter