Synkroniciti is thrilled to welcome visual artist Shani Eldar from Israel. We feature six of her vibrant and powerful paintings in “Empowered,” as well as an article, “Holistic Art: The Evolution of Shani Eldar.” Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 28 and suffering from PTSD from rape and sexual assault which she had repressed, Eldar is on a mission to tell her story through art. She paints tremendous canvases with images and also journals on them in Hebrew. “In Silence,” which practically vibrates the canvas with its aggressive reds and golds, and “I Said Nothing,” which communicates partially through morse code, speak directly of the shame and pain that kept her silent. “When you see what happens to girls that complain and how they are crucified in the courtrooms or the media, what would you learn? Keep quiet. Stay silent.” “Not a Child,” “Fragments,” and “Me & Me” have to do with the psychological damage from rape and how she copes and heals and finds strength in brokenness. The last, “Flytrap,” symbolizes the way that she always blamed herself for drawing the abusers to herself, which is, of course, a lie society propagates to keep women subjugated and silent. It’s never about what you were wearing or not wearing, never about your smile.
Read Shani’s powerful story and explore her amazing artwork in the “Empowered” Issue of our online magazine, available here. You can subscribe or order the issue, which debuted September 1, 2022.
Shani Eldar was born in 1977 in Israel. She is a graphic designer (B.Des) and an artist, as well as mother to four children. Since 2003, together with her husband, Guy, she has worked and designed at their studio. She also taught art to children and adults. Eldar has been painting and sculpting her entire life and her childhood dream was to become an artist. At the age of 28, Eldar was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Coping with her illness was a difficult task, but she found that her art could help her deal with the loss of physical ability and independence. She was too timid to expose her disabilities though her art until she found out that she is suffering from post trauma caused by sexual harassment and rape. Eldar is now overcoming her insecurities and fear of exposure, and is participating in exhibitions to showcase her art and to finally fulfill her dream. Take a look at her website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
Shani Eldar’s “Muzreket,” or Injected, a sculpture created by plunging needles used in the treatment of her multiple sclerosis into apapier-mâché and styrofoam ” head, was featured in the groundbreaking exhibition “Shovrim Homot” (Breaking Walls) curated by Naomi Gordon-Chen at the Arthura Gallery in Kfar Monash, Israel. This exhibition featured over thirty disabled artists and was the first big break for Eldar. This article from the Jerusalem Post talks about the exhibition and then focuses on her sculpture and illness. Empowering indeed! Brava!