
Efrat Zehavi - Where Are We Going
Portraits of Rotterdam
Efrat Zehavi moves from Jerusalem to Rotterdam in 2001 and quickly falls in love with the city's vibrant spirit. Do you know how it feels to arrive home? That is how Efrat feels in Rotterdam. Well, inspired by the diverse stories that unfold around her, she channelles her encounters with strangers into a series of clay portraits that captures the rich tapestry of lives coexisting in Rotterdam.
“When you ask people where they are going, they often tell you where they are from.”

This video takes you on Efrat's journey through Rotterdam as she creates her commissioned artwork, Where Are We Going (2020-2023), for Fenix. For this artwork, she meticulously models 116 faces of the city's residents in clay. You might even recognize a few faces. During nearly three-hour sessions in public spaces, parks, libraries, and bustling streets, Efrat listens to the unique stories of each person, allowing these narratives to shape their likenesses. Together, the 116 portraits are a tribute to the faces that give colour to Rotterdam and form the city.

All Directions
This artwork is part of the exhibition All Directions. In this exhibition you discover more about identity and happiness, about crossing borders and being forced to flee, about saying goodbye and coming home. Read more about All Directions.