Artists unlock creativity in support of hostages

Over 50 international artists have decorated padlocks to add their voices to the campaign to bring the hostages home.

The 54 artists, both Jewish and non-Jewish, from countries including Holland, Israel, Morocco and Brazil, have each applied their own individual style to padlocks, which will be added to the Lovelock Hostage Bridge at JW3 in Hampstead, north-west London.

The padlocks are being sold to raise funds for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Brazilian-born artist Sandra Shashou said: “My padlock reflects the collection of work that I’m best known for, which is entitled Broken. Sadly, I feel this is a rather apt theme for the plight of the hostages. Hamas has attempted to break the spirit of the people of Israel, yet we see them individually and collectively rebuilding in different forms, but still full of beauty.”

Artist Bettina Caro, originally from Morocco and now based in London, said: “I’ve used the padlock as a canvass to display a figure praying intently – echoing the sentiments of the millions who are desperately praying for the release of the hostages. It also carries the message (in Hebrew) that is so pertinent to the Jewish people – ‘Am Yisrael Chai’.”

Bettina Caro's padlock for the Lovelock Hostage Bridge at JW3 (Photo: Bettina Caro)

On October 7, Hamas terrorists took over 250 Israelis and non-Israelis hostage, including babies and elderly people. Over 120 remain captive.

The display of the new padlocks will be unveiled on June 5 and open to the public from June 6 until June 20.

The Lovelock Hostage Bridge at JW3 originally had padlocks inscribed with the names of the hostages on them. Thousands of people have since added their own padlocks in support of the hostages and their families.

James Grossman's padlock for the Lovelock Hostage Bridge at JW3 (Photo: James Grossman)

Lovelock Art creator Marcel Knobil said: “These impressive and unprecedented pieces of art are a powerful way of prompting people to think about the horrendous plight of over 100 hostages, who have now been held captive for more than 235 days. Sales of the remarkable padlocks will raise much-needed funds too.”

Ilana Fattal's padlock for the Lovelock Hostage Bridge at JW3 (Photo: Ilana Fattal)

The exhibition is being held in collaboration with British Friends of the Art Museums of Israel (BFAMI). Its co-chair Pamela Crystal told the JC that art was “such a powerful medium, as evidenced by these padlocks, which express sympathy, protest, care and distress evocatively and creatively.”

The first 54 – equivalent to the number of customised padlocks – to donate a minimum of £150 to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum will each receive a padlock, which will be randomly allocated through a draw.