40 Days: Artist Opens Solo Show Marking First Year Since October 7

A London-born sculptor stands in his own home city’s shadow, preparing to unveil the first solo exhibition of his career in Israel. David Breuer-Weil, a figure well-known in the British contemporary art scene, arrives in Tel Aviv this week to open a show titled Unity. The timing places the event precisely one year after the events of October 7, a date that now anchors the thematic core of his new work.

Breuer-Weil has recently been selected to design a major memorial in the United Kingdom to commemorate the October 7 attacks. While the specific design details remain under wraps, the commission underscores his current role in shaping how the UK remembers the day. The Tel Aviv exhibition serves as a parallel platform where he explores similar themes of trauma, return, and identity.

The show opens on November 4 at the Sheetrit & Wolf Gallery in the Neve Tzedek neighborhood. Simon Walters, the British Ambassador to Israel, is expected to attend the opening night. The curated selection includes new paintings and sculptures that engage directly with the global impact of the conflict on Jewish communities.

Central to the display is a series titled Home. Breuer-Weil conceived these pieces following the initial return of Israeli hostages. He stated that he had never encountered a theme that felt more vital for him to sculpt, paint, and draw. The work reflects the intense personal and artistic weight he placed on documenting the emotional moment of reunion.

Another major piece, Morning, is a monumental canvas that weaves hundreds of intricate images and symbols. The artist created it to preserve historical memory of the attacks. A contrasting work, Where Shall I Go? (Ana Elech), shifts focus to the present day in Britain. It examines the future of the British Jewish community against a backdrop of rising insecurity and antisemitism in the UK.

Born in 1965, Breuer-Weil trained at Central Saint Martins and the University of Cambridge. His large-scale public sculptures occupy prominent spaces across London and other global cities. His work has been featured in dedicated exhibitions by Sotheby’s and Christie’s and is held in numerous public and private collections.

Curated by Gregory Baker, Unity remains on view at 35-37 Shabazi Street until December 4. The gallery is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the exhibition, the venue will also host screenings of The King of Nerac, a documentary exploring the artist’s life and philosophy.